AC Milan fans were left stunned on Thursday after it was confirmed that their star goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma would not be signing a new contract to extend his stay at San Siro.
The Italian, widely considered to be Gianluigi Buffon's heir for the national team and already one of the top goalkeepers in the game, is now all set to leave the club, with Europe's top sides undoubtedly monitoring the situation.
Donnarumma won't extend Milan contract
The dilemma for Milan is whether to sell their 18-year-old prodigy for as much money as possible in the summer transfer window or risk losing him for a minimal compensation fee when his contract expires in 2018.
Goal has taken a look at the clubs who could possibly be in the race to sign the talented goalkeeper, with the likes of Real Madrid and PSG likely to be at the front of the queue..
ARSENAL
Getty ImagesArsenal have the finances but perhaps not the dire need to sign Donnarumma at the present time, with Petr Cech, even at 35, still capable of at least another season at the highest level.
That said, finding a long-term replacement for Cech will need to be a consideration sooner rather than later, and given his age and potential to be one of the world's top goalkeepers for years to come, Donnarumma certainly ticks all the right boxes as a potential heir to the current Gunners No.1. Whether Donnarumma would be interested in signing for a club who have struggled to challenge for major honours in recent years is questionable, though.
BARCELONA
GettyDonnarumma is simply not an option for Barcelona, with Marc-Andre Ter Stegen still very much the man at Camp Nou. The Liga club will not go back on their decision to put their faith in the German - who they consider to be the new Victor Valdes - which was made a year ago when they let Claudio Bravo leave for Manchester City.
While Barca are looking to strengthen their defence, midfield and attack, they are not after a new goalkeeper. Ter Stegen has the trust of the fans and the club, and Netherlands international Jasper Cillessen is also considered a dependable back-up option. So there will definitely be no bid for Donnarumma, with PSG midfielder Marco Verratti the primary transfer target.
CHELSEA
Getty ImagesThe latest in terms of the goalkeeping position at Chelsea is that Thibaut Courtois remains the club's No.1 and the Belgian is expected to sign a new deal to reaffirm his commitment to the Blues.
That said, if something were to go wrong with those talks, then the reality is that Donnarumma would interest the Blues. However, Goal understands that Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak is also a player admired by Chelsea and it may be that Antonio Conte's side prefer the Slovenian to the Milan youngster, should Courtois decide he wants out.
JUVENTUS
GettyJuventus are the only Italian club with the resources to sign Donnarumma. The Bianconeri need to replace the iconic Gianluigi Buffon next year, who will retire from football at the age of 40 after 17 years in Turin.
Arsenal’s Wojciech Szczesny last week agreed to a deal to join Juventus and serve as Buffon’s understudy for one year before succeeding him next term. However, the transfer still hasn’t been officially announced and there have been murmurings – from Milan legends like Daniele Massaro, no less - that the Italian champions are behind Donnarumma’s contract refusal.
MANCHESTER CITY
GettyWith City, it depends on when Donnarumma actually leaves. They may be very interested in him next summer on a free, once they have a better idea of how the goalkeeper situation has panned out. The recent signing of Ederson means anything this summer is unlikely, even if Claudio Bravo could yet leave as his situation is complicated.
But even so it's probably best for City to wait and see how it all develops, as for now they are working on as many as four full-backs and Alexis Sanchez, as well as still holding an interest in Kylian Mbappe and a centre-back. City could sign nine players this summer and there has also been some talk of the club pulling off the biggest transfer of the window. Even if that's not the case, they have enough on their plate in the coming months and a move for Donnarumma would probably only come into play if he goes on a free in 2018.
MANCHESTER UNITED
GettyThe future of David de Gea was a hot topic once more towards the end of Manchester United's exhaustive 2016-17 season, particularly after Jose Mourinho announced that Sergio Romero would be trusted with the gloves for the Europa League final against Ajax.
But rather than do a deal with Real Madrid over the goalkeeper, United now look highly likely to hold onto the Spaniard. And while the saga of 2015 shows that any summer involving De Gea can involve its twists and turns, his position at Old Trafford looks sturdy at this point in time. While United have been linked with Donnarumma on occasion, they are unlikely to consider such a move for as long as De Gea is their number one.
PSG
GettyA move for Donnarumma looks a realistic possibility for PSG, given their financial muscle and with their goalkeeping situation somewhat up in the air. Kevin Trapp has failed to convince in his two years in France and could be allowed to leave in the summer window, with Milan, ironically, having been mooted as a possible destination.
Alphonse Areola is the other first-team goalkeeper at Parc des Princes and while he failed to convince that he was ready to be the club's regular No.1 in the opportunities he was offered in 2016-17, at 24 he is still considered a good option for the future. So there is certainly room for a world-class keeper to come in and become the undisputed first-choice, but it remains to be seen if it will be Donnarumma.
REAL MADRID
GettyReal Madrid could be interested in signing Donnarumma, but not this summer. Zinedine Zidane has said that he wants to keep Keylor Navas and Kiko Casilla, and it's now impossible to reverse that decision.
Furthermore, Madrid do not have a good relationship at all with Donnarumma's agent Mino Raiola, so it would make it all the more difficult for a deal to be done. Reports have suggested Madrid's apparent interest is the reason behind the Italian's decision to leave Milan but the club trust Navas, and that remains an important factor that cannot be ignored.