Gianluigi Donnarumma has been under scrutiny recently, as the Italian goalkeeper refused to sign an AC Milan contract extension despite admitting in the past that he wishes to captain the Serie A giants.
The young custodian appears destined to leave San Siro, with his contract expiring next summer. His desire for an exit hasn’t sat well with the public, with fans throwing fake money at the teenager during the 2-0 win over Denmark in the under-21 European Championship.
His agent, Mino Raiola, has shed some light on the situation. His version of the story could have fans feeling for Donnarumma.
According to Raiola, the player and his family were threatened with not playing anymore and with death. The agent insists that after this, the player was left with no decision but to leave the Rossoneri.
Raiola said (as per Football Italia): “The situation had become too violent and hostile, so there was no way out.
“We took a decision that we didn’t want to take. It was nothing to do with money. We were threatened. Donnarumma’s family was threatened, both with not playing anymore and threatened with death.
“You can’t keep a player by threatening him.
“Now there is a genuine risk he could miss a year. His quality makes that improbable, but this is already on the verge of mobbing.
“We never even got to talk about money or release clauses, because we were not allowed to get that far, nor to think of what was best for Gigio. You talk about that when negotiations are 95 per cent there.”
Donnarumma, at only 18, is one of the most exciting goalkeepers in Europe. Despite his young age, he has proven to be a top-class custodian in two seasons in the Serie A.
As a result, he has been linked with several clubs. Juventus, who are known for signing the biggest names in Italy, see the Milan ace as Buffon’s heir. However, his current employers won’t let him join a direct rival without a fight.
Real Madrid are also interested, as they look for a shot-stopper to protect Los Blancos’ goal for seasons to come. Raiola, though, claims he has not spoken to other clubs about Donnarumma’s availability.
“I have not spoken to any big club. We do not have any agreement with any other team.
"He already had offers from Juventus, Real Madrid and big clubs when he was 14 years old, so if he wanted to go, he would’ve done earlier.
"I can assure you there will be no rapid transfer.
“I had already guaranteed we would not leave on a free transfer, so there was no rush to get the contract signed.”
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