Sanction on City could open the way for Donnarumma, Courtois' successor
At Manchester City's stadium, the 27-year-old Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma appeared in the club's kit, which cost around 30 million euros in September 2025; Real Madrid has been closely monitoring him since the end of that month, awaiting a sanction that would force City to be relegated and open a window of availability.
Conditions and context of the possible transfer
Donnarumma signed with Manchester City until June 2030. His market value is set at 45 million euros, 15 million more than the amount the English club paid for his transfer to PSG in September 2025.
Real Madrid is looking for a successor to 34-year-old Thibaut Courtois. The intention is not to replace the Belgian goalkeeper immediately, but to anticipate a possible market opportunity that would allow them to bring in a goalkeeper with years ahead.
On September 29, the Premier League's independent commission found Manchester City guilty of multiple financial infringements between 2009 and 2018. The club lodged an appeal and, while no final sanction has been imposed, fines, point deductions and even relegation are being considered.
A day later, it reported that Real Madrid was monitoring Donnarumma in case the case forced sales. El Periodista Deportivo also highlighted that, with the possibility of relegation, the future of several City players could come under scrutiny. With the possible sanction, the Spanish club is preparing its reinforcement strategy.
Flick points to a freshness problem after defeats to PSG and Real Madrid
Donnarumma has been in the elite for over a decade, debuting as a professional at 16 and having played for AC Milan, PSG, the Italian national team and the Premier League. He won the 2025 Champions League with the French side, so he would not need an adaptation period to compete for titles.
His height of 1.96 metres gives him an advantage in actions under the posts and in occupying space against shots. He is not the only goalkeeper on Madrid's shortlist; on September 13, it noted that the club is also tracking Diogo Costa, Porto's goalkeeper valued at 40 million euros.
With the pending appeal resolution, the Italian adds a second avenue that was already on the table. There is no evidence of a clause that would allow him to leave automatically if City is relegated, which complicates a deal that would not be straightforward nor necessarily cheap.
The editorial reading is that Real Madrid will need to check Donnarumma's availability if the Premier League confirms a sanction that jeopardizes City's continuity in the top tier, and assess the signing as an investment to succeed Courtois. The first piece of data that will drive the deal will be the appeal resolution.