Donnarumma joined Etihad on the final day of the summer 2025 transfer window. Man City had to wait until the last minute because they still hoped to persuade Ederson to stay. Ultimately, the Brazilian goalkeeper decided to leave Man City for Fenerbahce, on the same day the Italy international was brought in.

The upheaval in Man City's goalkeeping position initially suggested it was time for Stefan Ortega to step up, or perhaps James Trafford was ready for the first team after seeking playing opportunities at Burnley and regaining Pep Guardiola's trust. However, if that were the case, the Catalan coach would not have signed Donnarumma.

Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma blocks a shot from forward Jadon Sancho during the Premier League match between Aston Villa - Man City at Villa Park, Birmingham on 26/10/2025. Photo: AFP

Immediately, another debate erupted. When Guardiola took charge of Man City in 2016, Joe Hart was promptly shown the back door. Hart had been a stalwart, starting for the team since the 2007-2008 season, but the English goalkeeper's style did not meet Guardiola's demands. According to Guardiola, a goalkeeper, in addition to fulfilling traditional duties, also needed to be proficient with their feet and capable of initiating attacks from the back.

Claudio Bravo was then signed by Man City from Barca, facing the heavy responsibility of replacing a player beloved by the club's fans but ruthlessly pushed out by Guardiola. The Chile international was good with his feet, but he made frequent errors and, crucially, had a very low save percentage. By February 2017, when he had to cede his starting spot to Willy Caballero, Bravo's save percentage was just 54,1%. Many English journalists named him one of the worst signings of the 2016-2017 season.

Guardiola did not take long to correct his mistake. In summer 2017, he brought Ederson from Benfica. The goalkeeper, born in 1993, immediately took over Man City's goal and proved Guardiola was right to stick to his philosophy. Beyond his primary goalkeeping duties, Ederson was also an excellent passer. It is no coincidence that he is the goalkeeper with the most assists in Premier League history (7), as well as having won the Golden Glove award three consecutive times from 2020 to 2022.

In terms of footwork, Donnarumma was not particularly outstanding during his time at Milan or later at PSG. His passes were considered too safe, raising doubts about his suitability for Guardiola's philosophy. However, three months after arriving in England, the Italy international has fully integrated into Man City. He arrived with proven class and a decade of experience, despite being only 26 years old.

Goalkeeper Donnarumma dribbles past midfielder Josh King during the Fulham - Man City Premier League match on 2/12/2025, at Craven Cottage, London. Photo: AFP

It is no accident that Donnarumma was voted the FIFA best goalkeeper in the world through votes from national team coaches and captains, as well as football journalists and fans. Donnarumma left PSG because coach Luis Enrique wanted a new type of goalkeeper, but the French club's history would not have been adorned with last season's Champions League title without his world-class saves.

For Guardiola, after last season's "hemorrhage" of goals conceded, he believes that securing the goal should be the top priority, and Donnarumma has met that demand perfectly.

The 26-year-old Italy international has become one of the main figures in Man City's comeback after a trophyless 2024-2025 season. He focuses on what he does best: stopping shots from opponents. The goalkeeper, born in 1999, has played 20 times across all competitions this season for Man City, making a total of 37 saves, and crucially, keeping 9 clean sheets.

Ha Phuong (according to AS)