Gianluigi Donnarumma's future at AC Milan seems to be coming to a quicker end than most expected after club CEO Marco Fassone announced that the goalkeeper's agent Mino Raiola revealed that Donnarumma would not renew his deal.
The 18-year-old's situation with the club has been one of the most talked about topics in the early transfer market season. Donnarumma's contract expires in 2018, meaning he only has one year left on his deal with his childhood club.
One of Milan's main objectives, aside from making acquisitions to improve the squad, was to secure the young keeper for years to come. Fassone and Milan's sporting director Massimo Mirabelli offered Donnarumma €5 million per season for five years, according to Sky Sport.
The deal would have made the Italian the highest paid keeper in Serie A. The rejection of the new offer now means that Donnarumma will either remain with the Rossoneri for a season, likely without playing, or be sold before the transfer market’s end.
Many top teams have interest in the youngster who has shown that he can play in a top-flight league. Juventus is one of those teams as they look for a long-term replacement for legendary Italian keeper Gianluigi Buffon. After all, Donnarumma has been hailed as “the next Buffon” by many.
Real Madrid, Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain are also teams that have shown interested in Gigio.
In fact, Real Madrid has been reported by calciomercato.com to be ahead of any other team, leading the way to signing Donnarumma. The Champions League winners are reportedly offering €6 million per season for his services.
PSG has already met with Milan, but the French club and United will keep an eye on the situation.
For Milan, Fassone said the club will not let this news stop them from moving forward.
“Milan will move ahead,” Fassone said today to the media after meeting with Raiola.
The Rossoneri will now seemingly have to decide whether they should look for a proven and ready starting goalkeeper, or give 17-year-old Alessandro Plizzari a chance just as they had given Donnarumma a chance when he was only 16.