Manchester City are once again making headlines in the transfer market and this time it is because of a deal that could change everything inside the Etihad. Reports coming from England and Europe suggest that the club are just days away from completing the signing of Gianluigi Donnarumma, a goalkeeper many football people call world-class and a man who has been linked with greatness since he was a teenager. For Pep Guardiola and his Manchester City side, this is not just about signing another player, it is about securing a name that carries weight across football, a name that brings both excitement and drama. But as always with City, there is another side to the story. The arrival of Donnarumma can only happen if Ederson, the Brazilian who has been a symbol of Guardiola’s football for years, finally leaves. And that, in itself, makes this moment one of the most emotional twists in Manchester City’s modern story.
The summer of 2025 has already been busy for Manchester City. New names have come in, young players have left on loans, and Tottenham Hotspur have been chasing Savinho, the Brazilian winger linked with City’s network. At the same time, Galatasaray have been making moves to sign Ederson, though their offers have been called low and even disrespectful compared to the value of a goalkeeper who has won everything in England and Europe. According to ESPN journalist Mark Ogden, everything between Manchester City and Donnarumma is already agreed. Personal terms, salary, length of contract – all sorted. What is left is Ederson’s exit. The Brazilian, who has lifted Premier League titles, FA Cups, Carabao Cups, and the Champions League with Guardiola, is now standing at the door of goodbye, not because he has failed, but because time has moved forward and Pep has chosen another path. It is a brutal reality of elite football: yesterday’s hero can quickly become today’s surplus.
Mark Ogden went on television and described the situation clearly. He said Manchester City and Donnarumma are already connected, the deal is there, the signatures are waiting, but the club cannot keep three senior goalkeepers. James Trafford has returned from loan and is part of the squad’s plans, and that leaves no space for both Ederson and Donnarumma to stay together. City want to avoid a problem of too many goalkeepers and Ederson himself will not sit quietly on the bench. He has been the first-choice for years, the man who redefined how a goalkeeper can play in Guardiola’s football, stepping out like an extra midfielder, spraying long balls that cut open defences, and building City’s style from the back. For him to suddenly be second choice would be humiliating. So everyone knows he has to leave, even though many fans are not ready to see it happen.
Ederson’s name is tied deeply with City’s dominance. He arrived in 2017, a young Brazilian with tattoos, confidence, and the ability to strike a ball like a number ten. In his very first season, he changed everything. Before him, Guardiola struggled with Claudio Bravo and Joe Hart, but Ederson’s calmness and bravery gave City the weapon they needed to dominate England. Now, after almost a decade of success, the story seems to be ending. Galatasaray have offered around £3 million, a figure that feels insulting for a player of his history. Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia are also watching closely, and there are whispers that Ederson may even prefer a move to the Middle East where big contracts and fame are guaranteed. But wherever he goes, the truth is the same: his time at Manchester City is finished.
The man replacing him, Donnarumma, comes with his own drama. Once called the heir of Gianluigi Buffon, Donnarumma made his AC Milan debut at just 16 years old. The world could not believe his size, his confidence, and his hands that looked like they could cover the whole goal. Italy quickly made him their number one, and at Euro 2020, he stood tall as the hero of the penalty shootout final against England at Wembley. That night confirmed his name in history. Yet, after moving to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021, his story has not always been smooth. He faced competition with Keylor Navas, criticism for mistakes in Champions League games, and most recently he found himself frozen out by the PSG leadership. Now, at 26 years old, he is looking for a fresh start. Manchester City, the club where pressure is maximum and trophies are demanded every season, could be that new chapter.
Reports say PSG wanted €50 million for Donnarumma just months ago, but the fact his contract is expiring in 2026 means the price has dropped. City are now ready to pay around €30-35 million (£26-30m), which for them is a bargain. To get a goalkeeper at his level, at his age, and at that price, feels like another smart move from a club that always seems one step ahead. And Guardiola knows, for all his belief in Ederson, Donnarumma is younger, taller, and a goalkeeper that can still grow. Some people say Donnarumma is not perfect with the ball at his feet, which is a key part of City’s style. Pep loves goalkeepers who can pass short and long, who can take risks and control the rhythm of the game. But even if Donnarumma is not Ederson in that way, his shot-stopping, his presence, and his ability to command the penalty box give him qualities City might need more in the coming years. Football is always about evolution, and maybe Pep has decided it is time to sacrifice build-up quality for more defensive security.
The City dressing room is also a factor. Players who have worked with Ederson for years will find it strange to walk in one day and see Donnarumma standing as the number one. But that is the ruthless side of elite clubs. Pep Guardiola has always been willing to make hard choices. He let go of Yaya Touré, Joe Hart, David Silva, Sergio Agüero, and many more legends when he felt the time was right. Now it is Ederson’s turn. Fans may cry, some may argue, but Guardiola has earned the trust to decide. After all, he has delivered everything to Manchester City, including the long-awaited Champions League trophy.
There are also whispers about what this move means for the future. With Donnarumma signed, City will have secured their goalkeeper for the next decade. James Trafford, the young English keeper, could become the understudy and eventually step up. The club will be safe in that position for years. Meanwhile, Ederson’s sale, even if for a lower fee, will still free up wages and give City the balance they want in the squad. Tottenham’s interest in Savinho, and other clubs chasing City’s talents, shows that the Etihad machine is in full swing. Players come, players go, but the club keeps moving forward.
For Donnarumma himself, the Premier League will be a huge test. England is not France or Italy. The speed, the aggression, the crosses, the physical challenges – all will test him in new ways. But if he succeeds, he can finally silence the critics who doubted his move to PSG. For City fans, the excitement of signing a goalkeeper who is already world-class, but still with years ahead of him, feels like another statement. The rest of the Premier League, watching City get stronger again, will only sigh. How do you stop a team that never stops improving?
David Ornstein of The Athletic has also reported that inside PSG, many already believe Donnarumma is leaving for City. The French champions have accepted they cannot keep him, and with Keylor Navas gone and no clear plan, they are preparing for life without their giant Italian. That is how strong City’s pull has become – even the richest clubs in Europe know they cannot fight Guardiola’s project when he wants someone.
Fans online have reacted in mixed ways. Some City supporters are ready for the change, excited to welcome a goalkeeper who could dominate for ten years. Others feel sadness, pointing to Ederson’s saves in big games, his personality, and his role in building City’s dynasty. On social media, tributes for Ederson have already started, with clips of his assists, his penalty saves, and his calm smile spreading everywhere. It shows how much he means to them. But football has no pause button, and once Donnarumma’s signature is announced, the Etihad will move on to the next era.
And yet, this whole story also reminds the football world of the reality of Guardiola’s Manchester City. No matter how successful you are, nobody is bigger than the system. Not even Ederson, the man who once seemed untouchable. City’s hunger for perfection, for control, and for trophies means constant evolution. Donnarumma’s arrival is not just a signing – it is a symbol. It is Guardiola once again reshaping the team to stay ahead, to stay powerful, to stay feared. And that is why, even before the deal is officially done, the football world is talking, debating, and waiting.
By the weekend, as Mark Ogden predicted, the final steps could be complete. Ederson out, Donnarumma in. One chapter closed, another one opened. Manchester City, always moving, never standing still, reminding everyone that at the very top of football, emotions matter but decisions matter more.
