‘I was amazed when I found out’ – Gianluigi Donnarumma’s jaw-dropping Man City wages revealed
Gianluigi Donnarumma has landed a jaw-dropping salary after completing a move to Man City.
Donnarumma’s switch from Paris Saint-Germain to the Eithad was finalised on transfer deadline day, with the Italian costing Pep Guardiola’s side just over £30million.
City had already signed James Trafford earlier in the summer, but a number of mistakes from the young keeper encouraged the Manchester side to go back into the market.
At PSG, Donnarumma was on a wage of £500,000 per week, which works out at a staggering £26m per year.
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes that the 26-year-old will still be on the same sort of money after his move to City.
Gianluigi Donnarumma was an expensive signing for Man City
This article contains exclusive comment from Keith Wyness, former Everton, Aston Villa, and Aberdeen CEO.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Wyness revealed that he was amazed when he discovered that Donnarumma was on £500k per week, as it is a huge number for a goalkeeper.
Manchester United were interested in the Italy international, but pulled out of the race when they learnt of his wage demands.
Wyness added that Donnarumma “better be good” if he is being paid that much.
He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “I mean I was amazed when I found out he’s on £500k a week, which is a big number for a keeper.
“We know he’s a good keeper, but he’d better be very good at that level. £30m as a transfer fee was a lot as well, given the wages. He certainly is the category A goalkeeper that Pep has wanted.
“Pep obviously lost faith in Ederson and Trafford didn’t work out for him. It’s all very strange what’s going on at Man City. But certainly, Donnarumma is at the very high end of goalkeepers and he had better perform. I think he will.
“He’s at a very young age still, considering the experience he’s got. It feels like he’s been around forever, but he’s actually still quite young, and I think that he can be a great asset.
“A good keeper is still an absolutely crucial part, and I think that he will inspire confidence in City’s defence where there’s been some recent sort of disquiet, and that’s going to be a key factor for Pep in getting the whole thing stabilised.
“Overall, it’s been a good signing but an expensive one. But expense has not really been the big issue. Nobody has been really penny-pinching this window. They’ve found money when they’ve really made a decision that they want somebody, and that’s what we’ve seen more than ever this year.”
Man City make goalkeeper decision
Meanwhile, Donnarumma will replace Trafford as Man City’s first-choice goalkeeper, sources have told Football Insider.
Sources say that the former PSG keeper is likely to come in and immediately become number one.
After the addition of Donnarumma, City now have three top-class goalkeepers vying for one starting position in the side.
The Italy international and Trafford are backed up by Stefan Ortega, who has often deputised for the departed Ederson in the past and always performed well when called upon.
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