Manchester City have moved swiftly to reinforce their goalkeeping options, agreeing a deal worth €2m (£1.7m) to bring Geronimo Rulli back to the Etihad Stadium as understudy to Gianluigi Donnarumma.
The 34-year-old Argentine will sign a two-year contract and arrives from Marseille, where he spent the last two seasons as the club's first-choice goalkeeper. His arrival gives Pep Guardiola's side a fresh option between the sticks following the departure of James Trafford, who completed a switch to Leeds United in a deal worth an initial £40m earlier this week.
Rulli's move represents something of a homecoming, as this will be his second spell registered with City. He originally joined the club back in 2016 but never made a first-team appearance, instead being sent out on loan to Real Sociedad before the Spanish club made the transfer permanent. Since then, his career has taken him through several clubs across Europe, including Montpellier and Ajax, before a productive stint at Villarreal.
It was during his time in Spain that Rulli enjoyed one of the standout moments of his career, helping Villarreal lift the Europa League in 2021. In a dramatic penalty shootout against Manchester United, he both scored and saved a spot-kick as the Yellow Submarine claimed the trophy.
On the international stage, Rulli has also tasted the very top of the game. He was part of the Argentina squad that triumphed at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and he returned as a squad member when the nation reached the final again this past summer, though on both occasions he remained an unused substitute behind the country's established first-choice goalkeeper.
His switch to Manchester City fits into a broader pattern of squad rebuilding in the goalkeeping department at the Etihad this summer. Rulli becomes the second goalkeeper the club have re-signed in this window, following the return of Pierce Charles from Sheffield Wednesday. Unlike Rulli, however, Charles was quickly loaned back out, joining QPR to continue gaining first-team experience elsewhere.
With Trafford's exit leaving a vacancy for a reliable deputy to Donnarumma, City appear to have identified Rulli as the ideal low-cost solution — a proven senior goalkeeper with extensive experience in Ligue 1, La Liga and European competition, capable of providing solid cover without requiring regular first-team football. His pedigree, including major honours at both club and international level, suggests he brings a wealth of tournament and high-pressure experience to the City dressing room, even if his own game time is likely to remain limited given the presence of Donnarumma as the established No.1.
The deal underlines City's efficient approach to squad building this summer, addressing a specific need in the goalkeeping ranks at minimal financial outlay while simultaneously giving a nod to a player who was on their books nearly a decade ago without ever getting the chance to play for the first team. For Rulli, the move offers a fresh opportunity to be part of a major Premier League club's setup, even if it comes in a supporting role rather than as the guaranteed starter he was at Marseille.
City's business in this transfer window continues to be shaped by turnover in the goalkeeping department, with the departure of Trafford to Leeds triggering swift adjustments to ensure Guardiola has adequate cover behind his first-choice stopper heading into the new season.
Based on reporting from Independent Football.