Juventus have reportedly launched a shock €40 million attempt to sign prodigious AC Milan star Gianluigi Donnarumma, who is a priority target for Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Italian publication La Repubblica have sensationally claimed that, as per reports in Italy, Juve have launched an attempt to sign AC Milan prodigy Gianluigi Donnarumma. The wonder keeper has been hailed as the next Gianluigi Buffon, and has been heavily linked with the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid as well.
Donnarumma came up through the ranks at AC Milan and has taken the footballing world by storm with his prodigious talent. The 17-year-old has been tipped to replace the legendary Buffon as the first-choice in the Italian national setup and has already gained 2 senior international caps for the Azzurri.
At the nascent age of 17, Donnarumma already has 49 senior appearances under his belt at AC Milan, with 17 clean sheets to show for his efforts. This season, Donnarumma has featured in every Serie A match for AC Milan, conceding 20 goals in 17 games with 6 shutouts in the process.
But stats aside, the 17-year-old has been largely impressive between the posts and has established himself not only as one of the young and promising stars in the footballing world, but also one of the very top goalkeepers at the present moment in Europe.
As Buffon enters the twilight years of his career, Juventus are already planning ahead. The Bianconeri are searching for a long-term replacement for the Azzurri legend, and who better to replace the old guard than the prodigy who has been tipped as his successor.
As per the report, Juventus are planning a total outlay of €80 million for Donnarumma, including the transfer fee and wages. The Old Lady is offering a five-year contract to Donnarumma with €8 million a year, apart from the €40 million transfer fee to secure the signature of the 17-year-old.
But Juve are set to face competition from a host of top European clubs with the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester City all registering interest in the player. All three aforementioned clubs have a legitimate dearth of goalkeeping talent in their respective camps.
Barcelona have Marc Andre-Ter Stegen on their roster, but Donnarumma would surely serve as an upgrade on the German while also handing the Blaugrana a player who can boss that position for the next 15 years or so.
Real Madrid have the in-form Keylor Navas as their first-choice keeper, but are really more in need of goalkeeping reinforcement than their rivals Barcelona. Navas is already 30 and it is unsure as to how long he can maintain his form.
Zidane is already looking set to be at the helm for the long haul and would ideally want a keeper who can be his first-choice for the entire period of his tenure. Donnarumma would also present a commercially viable signing in the eyes of Florentino Perez, which makes the 17-year-old even more of a perfect fit for Los Blancos.
All the interested parties are more than capable of rivaling and even bettering Juventus’ current offer. But it will likely come down to Donnarumma and his preference of league.
If the teenager wants to stay in Italy, Juventus present a good chance to not only be a part of a side that has dominated the Serie A in recent years, but also the prospect of donning the jersey that has been etched in the history books by his idol and international predecessor Gianluigi Buffon.
One thing looks certain though. The player is indeed a prodigy, a rare and precious gem that comes to the fore only once in a while. And wherever Donnarumma might end up playing, the 17-year-old is likely to be an asset to that club.
