Rio Ferdinand's brutal Gianluigi Donnarumma accusation as Man United get 'positive' update

Gianluigi Donnarumma has been linked to both Manchester United and their City rivals this summer, with the Red Devils receiving a positive update on the goalkeeper

Gianluigi Donnarumma has been linked to both Mnchester clubs this summer(Image: Etsuo Hara/Getty Images)

Rio Ferdinand's brutal shakedown of Gianluigi Donnarumma has resurfaced following the Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper's links to Manchester United this summer.

The Red Devils are interested in signing the shotstopper after a treble-winning season with PSG wasn't enough for boss Luis Enrique to keep him in the squad. Reports suggest that while Manchester City have agreed personal terms with the Italy international, United could still be in with a chance to secure his services.

While the Italian is regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the game, Ferdinand has been openly critical of the United target in the past.

During the 2023/24 Champions League quarter-finals, Barcelona took a 3-2 lead over PSG back to the Camp Nou, with two of the three goals coming from Donnarumma blunders. The goalkeeper failed to claim a ball launched into his box, which allowed Raphinha to break the deadlock.

The third goal came when Donnarumma didn't come out to win the ball from a corner, letting Andreas Christensen nod in the winner. Ferdinand voiced his disappointment on TNT Sports, stating it was a "crime" for the star not to prevent those two goals.

He said at the time: "Highlight the goalkeeper here. In the first half, the goalkeeper makes two mistakes from crosses. I think in his head he's said, 'I'm going to stay on my line no matter what now', and let the responsibility then fall on the defenders to defending this set piece.

Ferdinand slammed the Italian's decision-making against Barcelona in 2024(Image: ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP via Getty Images)

"That's in his six-yard box. He's 6'7" or so. That's a crime almost, not coming in your six-yard box and claiming that. It wasn't a ball that was too high. It was there to be attacked, but the impact of the first half mistakes lead to that. That's a player at the top of his game that is having to adjust his approach to a certain set piece because of performance."

However, Ferdinand's criticism appears to be a one-off as he's also praised Donnarumma in the past. Speaking on his YouTube channel, the ex-United defender hailed the keeper as one of the best in Europe, and claimed the only reason PSG want rid is due to the evolving nature of goalkeeping in the sport.

"Did you see the stuff about Donnarumma?" asked Ferdinand. "Wow. One of arguably the best goalkeepers in Europe last year, wins a treble. What I'll do is I'll give you the quote from Enrique, which was brutal right? But I kind of like that. You know where you stand but I don't think Donnarumma would've loved it. But let's do these quotes anyway.

Donnarumma's Champions League performances were criticised in 2024(Image: Ibrahim Ezzat/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

"'Donnarumma is out of the squad as it's my own decision. I am 100 per cent responsible.' He said, 'I want a different type of goalkeeper and I made this decision. Wow. Donnarumma is one of the best goalkeepers in the whole world. Just that little caveat to cap it off.'

"One of the best keepers, but just not my type. Now, we would have never seen this 10 years ago. If you are the best goalkeeper in the world, the top club who's winning everything at the time never sells you because you're the best goalkeeper in the world.

"He might be the best goalkeeper in the world in terms of saving the ball and stuff to stop the ball going into the net, but is he good enough with his feet?

Gianluigi Donnarumma won the treble with PSG(Image: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

"I think that is the question, and this is just the ever-evolving kind of identity of a goalkeeper now is very different. I played with so many goalkeepers that could barely reach the halfway line. Couldn't pick anyone out really on a consistent basis.

"Some could kick it far, but couldn't really have the direction to pick people out. Nowadays, you've got to have like pinpoint accuracy, short and long, over varying distances to be able to understand how to play through the press. If it's two people, three people, or one player pressing, like what's going on behind that press?"

Ferdinand added: "The goalkeepers now have got to see so much, they're part of the 11 now. It used to be 10 players and the keeper; it's very different now. So Donnarumma is living in a different world of goalkeepers, and I bet people like Buffon, Edwin Van der Sar, Schmeichel, the top goalkeepers of yesteryear are sitting there going, 'Wow, not in my day, that would have never have happened.'"