Former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel has disclosed the conversation he had with Gianluigi Donnarumma after the Italian joined rivals Manchester City instead of the Red Devils.
Speaking after United’s 3-0 defeat to City on Sunday, Schmeichel said he had previously tried to persuade Donnarumma to move to Old Trafford while he was still at Paris Saint-Germain.
“I’ve followed them [PSG] in the Champions League and I’ve spoken to him a lot of times — he speaks English by the way,” Schmeichel revealed on Premier League Productions.
“Over the last season I kept saying to him, ‘we want you at Man United,’ and he said, ‘I’d love to come to England.’ So after the game I went to him and said, ‘what are you doing here, you should be in the other goal [for United].’ But he said, ‘I’m very, very happy here.’ And he showed it today.”
Donnarumma impressed on his City debut, keeping a clean sheet as Phil Foden and Erling Haaland (2) secured the derby victory for Pep Guardiola’s men.
The defeat was United’s second of the season, leaving them 14th in the Premier League with just four points from four matches. Their next fixture is a home clash against Chelsea at Old Trafford.
