Gianluigi Donnarumma revealed on Deadline Day that Erling Haaland played a big role in his move from European champions Paris Saint-Germain to Manchester City.
The Italian goalkeeper was surprisingly put up for sale by PSG in the summer transfer window.
Just a few months before his departure, Donnarumma helped PSG win their first Champions League, making some important saves in the final stages of the tournament.
However, PSG wanted a goalkeeper with a different style and Donnarumma fit the bill after signing Lucas Chevalier from Lille.
The 26-year-old, who now lives in Manchester, said his decision to join the seven-time Premier League champions was made easier by his “great friend” Haaland.
Asked what it was like to play alongside Haaland, Donnarumma said: “He’s a great guy, very calm, loves his family and being with them.
Donnarumma talks about Erling Haaland’s role in joining Man City
“We hit it off. There was a natural feeling there, a synergy. Even when we were playing against each other, we stayed in touch and even talked often after games.”
“Then he wrote me a letter saying I had the opportunity to come here. He pushed me hard to come and I think so much of him.”
“He’s a really great friend. It’s good to play with him because it’s very hard to play against him! He’s an alien!”
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Donnarumma also paid tribute to the other members of the City squad who have helped him adapt to the Premier League.
The Italian has kept six clean sheets in his first 12 games for Josep Guardiola’s side. The goalkeeper laughed and said, “I’m a little angry because I could have kept it longer.”
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Brian Mbeumo’s rocket volley was expertly stopped by the Italian on Donnarumma’s Man City debut
“I didn’t expect to have such a positive impact on the Premier League, but the team helped me a lot because they made me feel very welcome the moment I arrived.
“They helped me a lot in the first game, especially the first game when it was only three days into the game. In the first training session it felt as if I had been there for two years.”
“The league is very different, there’s a lot of running, there’s a lot of intensity, so I had to adapt quickly. But the team has been the foundation for me these first few months.”
