Everton have been linked with a move for Gianluigi Donnarumma by Calciomercato as a potential replacement for Jordan Pickford, but it’s hard to see the Toffees matching his €70m asking price to lure him away from AC Milan.
Pickford suffered from inconsistency before the season was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but the likelihood of Everton breaking their club-record transfer fee to strengthen between the sticks is slim.
That’s not to say Donnarumma wouldn’t be an improvement on Pickford. The 21-year-old rose through the youth ranks to Milan’s first-team in 2015 and has gone on to make 190 appearances in all competitions.
This season, Donnarumma has made 26 appearances across the board, conceding 30 goals and keeping 10 clean sheets. As per WhoScored, the Italian international has made 35 clearances, completed 70.5% of his 2122 passes and made 74 saves.
The Sun suggested in January that Everton would scour the transfer market for Pickford’s replacement, but Carlo Ancelotti has backed him publicly and insists he can get over his rocky patch.
Even if Everton were considering a move for Donnarumma, would he really jump at the chance to join the Toffees? The 21-year-old has spent seven years at Milan and is being linked with Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, so why would he opt for Merseyside?
Even Calciomercato’s report says Everton are considered as ‘an unwelcome destination’, so it’s hard to see this transfer happening. Donnarumma is out of contract in 2021, so his future is uncertain until he puts pen to paper on an extension, but supporters shouldn’t listen to this latest rumour.
Pickford’s future would need resolving long before a new face is brought in.