Gianluigi Donnarumma seals Manchester City move as Ederson heads to Fenerbahce

Manchester City land Donnarumma as Ederson era ends

Manchester City have completed the signing of Gianluigi Donnarumma from Paris Saint-Germain in a deal worth roughly £26–30 million, handing Pep Guardiola a new goalkeeper and a fresh tactical puzzle. The 26-year-old Italy international has agreed a five-year contract through 2030 and arrives as Ederson exits for Fenerbahce after eight seasons and 15 major trophies in sky blue.

Donnarumma did not hide what this means for him. “To have signed for Manchester City is such a special and proud moment for me,” he said. “I am joining a squad packed with world-class talent and a team led by one of the greatest managers in the history of football in Pep Guardiola.” It’s a heavyweight endorsement—and a reminder that City’s pull remains as strong as ever.

The move closes a defining chapter. Ederson’s transfer to Fenerbahce, for a fee understood to be between £12.1m and £14m, ends a period that reshaped how Premier League teams think about goalkeepers. Signed from Benfica in 2017, the Brazilian became the reference point for high-risk distribution, laser passes through the press, and the confidence to hold an aggressive starting position. His fingerprints are all over City’s dominance, from the domestic clean sweeps to the treble and the record-setting run of four straight league titles from 2021 to 2024.

Now the job passes to Donnarumma—if he wins it. The Italian arrives after slipping down the pecking order at PSG under Luis Enrique, even as he helped the French side lift the Champions League last season. The situation in Paris shifted again with Lucas Chevalier’s arrival this summer, and Donnarumma chose a reset in Manchester rather than a season of uncertainty in France.

There’s real competition waiting for him. James Trafford, 22, rejoined City from Burnley earlier in the window for £27m and started the club’s first three league matches. He drew criticism after a 2–0 loss to Tottenham, but Guardiola has never been shy about trusting young players if they fit the plan. Trafford is homegrown, ambitious, and comfortable operating high outside his box. Donnarumma brings experience under pressure and stature in the area. The battle is clear, and the Etihad will be the judge.

City’s calculus here is about more than shot-stopping. Ederson’s passing range let Guardiola push his centre-backs wide and his full-backs into midfield without fear. Donnarumma is built differently. He’s a towering presence, exceptional on his line, and a commanding figure on crosses. His distribution is solid and improving, but it’s not Ederson’s highlight-reel stuff. Expect Guardiola to tweak the build-up: fewer split-second risk passes through the middle, more staging through the centre-backs, and more selective long balls to stretch a press.

There’s upside. Donnarumma has been a high-leverage goalkeeper since his teenage years at AC Milan and was named Player of the Tournament at Euro 2020. He thrives in big moments, has a knack for penalty saves, and rarely gets rattled by noise. In Europe—where City’s season is often judged—those traits matter. With the Champions League group stage around the corner, the timing is tight, but Guardiola prefers to bed in key roles early rather than patch them on the fly in spring.

This is also a clean bit of business. City land a prime-age international at a fee below the going rate for elite keepers, and they bank a double-digit million sum for a 31-year-old Ederson while trimming wages. The net cost is modest for a major reset in a specialist position. From a squad-planning perspective, it keeps one non-homegrown slot efficient and leaves room for further January moves if needed.

What about Ederson’s next act? Fenerbahce get a proven European-level goalkeeper who can transform a team’s build-up and confidence. In Turkey, where title races hinge on fine margins and atmospheres run hot, his composure and range of passing can be a separator. And for Ederson, there’s a new challenge after winning everything domestically in England—fresh competition, new expectations, same swagger.

Back in Manchester, the question turns fast: who starts the derby? The league calendar drops the first Manchester showdown on September 14 at the Etihad. Both teams could field new No 1s, with United also reshaping their goalkeeping group under Ruben Amorim after bringing in 23-year-old Senne Lammens on deadline day. For City, Guardiola must decide whether to stick with Trafford’s continuity or hand Donnarumma a statement debut in the club’s most-watched fixture of the early season.

Training-ground dynamics will decide it. Donnarumma will need to master City’s automatisms: angles for the first pass into midfield, triggers for going long, and when to step out to compress space behind the back line. Communication with the centre-backs is key—timing the line, managing set-pieces, orchestrating the press from behind. City’s defensive structure is fine-tuned; the goalkeeper is its metronome.

For Trafford, the message is simple: don’t flinch. He has the shirt, for now. If he keeps his decisions clean and his passing sharp, he can make Guardiola think twice before fast-tracking a change. Internal competition like this tends to raise standards—keepers often improve faster when every training drill feels like selection day.

There’s a human layer to this as well. Donnarumma swaps Paris for Manchester, a new country, a different dressing room, and a league where every aerial duel is a test. He’s done the adaptation cycle before, leaving Milan at 22 for PSG and living under the brightest lights in Europe. City’s environment is supportive but demanding; the expectation is that big names deliver from week one. With a five-year deal, though, the project is clear: become the anchor for the next cycle of titles.

Key details of the deals, as understood by club sources and industry reporting:

• Donnarumma fee: approx. £26–30m; contract to 2030.
• Ederson fee: approx. £12.1–14m to Fenerbahce after eight seasons at City.
• Competition: Donnarumma vs James Trafford for the No 1 role.
• Tactical angle: shift from ultra-aggressive distributor to a balance of control and security.

Guardiola has rebuilt lines before—full-backs into midfield, centre-backs who can play as sixes, wingers who become creators. Recasting the goalkeeper role is a new twist, but it fits the pattern: evolve ahead of the league. If Donnarumma adapts quickly, City gain a long-term pillar. If Trafford rises with a fight on his hands, they’ve strengthened the position by competition alone. Either way, the goalkeeper at Manchester City is once again at the heart of how they plan to win.