STADIO GIUSEPPE MEAZZA, MILAN, ITALY - 2020/01/28: Gianluigi Donnarumma of AC Milan celebrates during the Coppa Italia football match between AC Milan and Torino FC. AC Milan won 4-2 over Torino FC after extra times. (Photo by Nicolò Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Chelsea have been handed a major blow in their pursuit of AC Milan star Gianluigi Donnarumma.
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano on Twitter, the young goalkeeper could pen fresh terms with the Rossoneri.
The same was confirmed by Milan sporting director Frederic Massara. Speaking to DAZN (h/t Twitter), he revealed Donnarumma will be amongst the players to commit their future to the San Siro in the coming weeks.
It is a setback for Chelsea who have struggled with issues at the back for some time now. Although Edouard Mendy has proven to be excellent on his day, he has shown a tendency to make mistakes in recent games.
Still just 21, Donnarumma has made 226 appearances for Milan. An incredible number for a player his age. As of yet, he has managed to keep 80 clean sheets. (h/t Transfermarkt)
The Italian wonderkid’s contract was set to expire at the end of the season. Chelsea were linked with a move for him and could have landed him on a free in the summer.
With Milan now close to a breakthrough, the Blues will need to look elsewhere if they are seeking to provide competition for Mendy.
The Senegalese international has proven to be more dependable than Kepa Arrizabalaga. Given Donnaruma’s age, there was the potential to make him the bedrock of our defence for years. As things stand, it does not appear to be happening anytime soon.
As Liverpool have shown in recent times, bringing in a truly dependable keeper can make the world of difference. We are seeing it happen to an extent with Mendy. Whether he is a stop-gap solution or someone to stand in goal for years remains to be seen.
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