AC Milan's 18-year-old goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma has emerged as a potential transfer target for Manchester United and Manchester City as they look to reinforce their squads for the next season and it has been reported that the Italian national player is set to cost around £40 million and should any club decide to pay that amount, it would set a record for the goalkeeper's transfer.
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Gianluigi Donnarumma made his debut for AC Milan at the age of 16 and became the second-youngest keeper to play in Italy's top division and he also holds the record for the youngest player to play in the Italy's Under-21 side at 17 years. The Italian, who just turned 18 on Saturday (February 25), has already made 55 appearances for AC Milan and is regarded as the natural heir to Gigi Buffon in the Italian national team.
Latest rumor is that Manchester United's current goalkeeper David De Gea could still be eyeing a move to Real Madrid in the summer after his failed move in the summer of 2014 and Jose Mourinho feels that Donnarumma has what it takes to succeed at Manchester United and given the amount of money the United have spent in the past, his transfer fee should not be a problem.
Manchester United have sent scouts regularly to watch the youngster and with the scouts getting convinced about his potential, they have advised Mourinho to make a move for him should De Gea decide to leave the club in the summer.
However, the Red Devils face a competition from their cross-town rivals Manchester City as they too are keen on signing a new goalkeeper as Pep Guardiola has his own goalkeeping issues.
Willy Caballero and Claudio Bravo have been alternating in the goalkeeping position this season but given the number of mistakes they have made, it comes as no surprise that City, too, are interested in one of the best young goalkeepers in Europe.
Along with them, Joe Hart has been loaned out to Torino for the rest of the season and while he will come back to Manchester City at the end of the season, it does not look like he has a future at the club and could be on his way out in the summer.
Both the Manchester clubs have the financial power to get a deal for Gianluigi Donnarumma done should they be interested in him and with AC Milan no longer the financial powerhouse they were, it would be hard for them to resist a huge amount for their talented keeper.
