Los 40 USA
NewslettersSign in to commentAPP
spainSPAINchileCHILEcolombiaCOLOMBIAusaUSAmexicoMEXICOlatin usaLATIN USAamericaAMERICA

SOCCER | PSG

PSG: Donnarumma eyeing transfer to Juventus or Barcelona

Gianluigi Donnarumma has not dislodged Keylor Navas from the PSG goal, leading the Italy keeper and Mino Raiola to sound out Juventus and Barcelona.

Update:
Paris St Germain's Gianluigi Donnarumma.
BENOIT TESSIERREUTERS

Gianluigi Donnarumma’s move to PSG from AC Milan is not working out as either the Italy keeper or his agent, Mino Raiola, had hoped. The 22-year-old has played only five games for PSG this season with Mauricio Pochettino seemingly set on retaining former Real Madrid stopper Keylor Navas as his number one for the 2021-22 season. Despite the Argentinean attempting to placate the Italy international with the odd game here and there, neither Donnarumma nor Raiola foresaw that the Parc des Princes bench was going to the keeper’s final destination.

As can be expected, this has not sat well with super-agent Raiola, who prefers his stable of stars to be front and centre and cannot understand why PSG signed Donnarumma only to have him act as back-up to Navas. According to Calciomercato, if the status quo is maintained for the remainder of the season Raiola will seek an exit for his client next summer, with Barcelona and Juventus reportedly keeping a close eye on the situation. The Liga outfit have been offered Donnarumma in the past and the Old Lady tried their luck when it became clear his future lay away from San Siro, but Milan pushed heavily for the keeper to move abroad rather than to a direct Serie A rival.

Donnarumma facing uphill struggle at PSG

Full screen
MASSIMO PINCAREUTERS

Donnarumma’s camp also feel that Navas enjoys a privileged place in the PSG hierarchy. Given his impact at the Parc des Princes and his career there, the Costa Rican is one of the dressing room leaders and that also leaves Donnarumma at a disadvantage. As a young keeper with his international place to consider and over 250 Milan appearances under his belt, the Italian did not go to PSG to act as an understudy.

However, the keeper is unlikely to meet with too much sympathy in Italy, where the move was seen by many commentators as unnecessary and driven by the wrong factors at this stage in his career.