Gianluigi Donnarumma Future In Manchester Questioned Amid Rumors Over Pep Guardiola Exit
Pep Guardiola's future in England could have a major impact on Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Louis Fargher
Updated on 22 December 2025
Gianluigi Donnarumma may rethink his Manchester City future as Pep Guardiola considers an early end to his iconic reign.
Gianluigi Donnarumma Rethinks Manchester City Future
The Italian international moved to Manchester during the 2025 summer window and has already become one of the most important members of Pep Guardiola’s side.
Since signing for the Cityzens, Donnarumma has started in 14 consecutive Premier League matches and forced James Trafford to the bench.
Trafford also joined the club during the recent summer window and the Englishman is reportedly considering a move away from Manchester after dropping down the pecking order.
However, Trafford’s situation could take a major shift in 2026, as Donnarumma is said to be concerned over his future in Manchester amid rumors over a Pep Guardiola exit.
The iconic soccer manager played a pivotal role in Donnarumma’s decision to join the Cityzens and the Italian revealed that he hopes to spend ‘many years’ with Guardiola.
Donnarumma said: “I respect Guardiola enormously. We have an extraordinary relationship and he helps me a lot with my decisions. He keeps me calm in every situation.
“It’s everyone’s dream to be coached by him. I’m lucky to be here with him and I hope to spend many years here with him and write the history of this club. It’s truly special.”
Donnarumma’s move to Manchester was questioned as the Italian is not the typical goalkeeper that Guardiola prefers to have in between the sticks.
Gian Piero Gasperini recently commented on the effect of goalkeepers in modern football and this is symbolic of the issues suggested before Donnarumma’s move.
However, the Italian has proved his doubters wrong, but this could be short-lived as Guardiola may bring his time in Manchester to an end in 2026.
Pep Guardiola Considers Manchester City Exit
Guardiola has established himself as one of the best managers in Premier League history since taking the reins in Manchester in July 2016.
During his time in England, Guardiola has won six Premier League, four Carabao Cups, three Community Shields, two FA Cups, the Champions League, UEFA Supercup and FIFA Club World Cup.
His deal with the Cityzens does not expire until June 2027, but murmurs over a departure at the end of the 2025/26 season have started to circulate.
Guardiola has denied these rumors but did admit that the champions should prepare for his departure and managerial changes have become far more common in the modern game.
Serie A is a prime example of this, after recent rumors over Antonio Conte replacing Luciano Spalletti at Juventus and this drastic shift is symbolic of the managerial landscape.
Although Donnarumma’s future in Manchester is not solely reliant on Guardiola’s situation, the Italian will be concerned over the clubs’ next-steps without the Spaniard.
Louis Fargher
Louis has been an avid soccer enthusiast for multiple years and boasts knowledge across several leagues in Europe - including Serie A. Louis holds a degree in Soccer Journalism and has produced content for multiple clubs in the United Kingdom.
Our unbiased editorial policy
Despite ongoing collaborations with commercial affiliates, the details, information, and reviews we provide remain honest and unbiased. We keep this in check by implementing a stringent editorial policy.
Our policy implements strict editorial standards, ensuring the integrity and trustworthiness of our articles, news, and reviews. Only the highest-quality content reaches our pages. We achieve this through conducting thorough research on each topic, conveyed to you using unbiased reporting, to ensure we earn your trust and keep it.
