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Manchester City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma has kept clean sheets in his opening two games for his new club
Gianluigi Donnarumma has not been at Manchester City for a fortnight yet but has already made a big impact.
That can be seen on the pitch, where he made an excellent save in an accomplished debut against Manchester United to avoid more derby despair for Blues. That was followed by an impressive press conference before the Napoli game, where his response to the fan-pleasing celebrations he had given against United was a call for unity among the team: he wants to celebrate every goal that is scored and wants every goal that he keeps out to be recognised in return.
Donnarumma also had something of an inside track on Napoli, the city nearest to where he was born and a squad containing some Italy internationals, and pledged to tell his new teammates in the dressing room anything he could to help them win. Another performance free of drama came in a 2-0 win for City on Thursday night.
It hasn't taken long for the rest of the squad to be as impressed as everyone else is by Donnarumma. Speaking after the Napoli game, Nico O'Reilly praised his leadership qualities.
“He’s had a massive impact. He's such a big character within the team, within the changing room," said O'Reilly.
“He’s come and I feel like we've all welcomed him well and, yeah, he's a leader, which we need in the team. We have quite a young team, a lot of new players. I feel like he’s fit in very well and obviously he’s a great goalkeeper.”
After the United win, Rodri and Bernardo Silva - two City captains who boast plenty of experience at the highest level - suggested that his presence gives confidence to the rest of the team as well as his pedigree for playing big games.
"I felt they must put the ball in the [top] corner to score," Rodri said about the United game. Bryan Mbuemo would surely agree, having thought he had got United back in it at the Etihad only for the keeper to claw his effort round the post.
"With Gigi, the feeling you have is a bit Courtois, you know? A tall guy, big guy," said Silva.
"And he's still young, 26, but he's played at the highest level for so long. The first game in a new club you always feel a bit...And you could see he was comfortable, and it's good to have a guy like that at the back."
There will likely be bumps along the road for Donnarumma and he has critics to convince both in his consistency and his kicking game, but City are delighted with their deadline day signing.
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