Gianluigi Donnarumma interview: Man City goalkeeper discusses summer exit from PSG and how Erling Haaland helped him join the Premier League

Gianluigi Donnarumma says he felt "let down" by PSG after his summer exit and arrival at Manchester City.

The Italy goalkeeper was surprisingly put up for sale by PSG in the summer transfer window and eventually joined City on Deadline Day.

Just a few months before his exit, Donnarumma helped PSG to their first Champions League title, pulling off some vital saves in the latter stages of the tournament. However PSG wanted a different style of goalkeeper and after signing Lucas Chevalier from Lille, Donnarumma was put up for sale.

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In an exclusive interview from City's training ground with Sky in Italy, Donnarumma said: "It's not easy leaving a club like this. After what happened, I felt really bad.

"I came in and adapted to a certain style, but then the last few months that style wasn't there anymore.

"It's a shame after a season where we brought the Champions League to Paris, which had never happened before. It hurts. But you have to turn the page and at PSG, my team-mates and the fans will always feel close to me.

"I felt let down because when I came in, I adapted to PSG - I paid special attention to that. But ultimately, the last few months were completely different. That disappointed me.

"It's something I'll never be able to explain but you have to accept it. I was disappointed by it, about the way they managed the situation. It's unfortunate, but you have to move on.

"I will always thank PSG for what they gave me, and what I gave them, it was fantastic. And I always thank the fans.

"I will always go back to Paris because they gave me a second home, it was such a fundamental part of my life. I'm happy with what I achieved there and what my team-mates and fans gave me, and I'll always be grateful to them."

'Alien Haaland pushed hard for me to join City'

Instead, Donnarumma ended up moving to Manchester - and has revealed that Erling Haaland played a big role in his Deadline Day move.

Asked about what he's like to play with, Donnarumma replied: "He's a fantastic guy, so calm and he loves his family and being with them.

"We hit it off. There's that synergy there where there's just a natural feeling. Even when we played against each other, we were in touch and after the games we even spoke often

"Then I had the opportunity to come here, he wrote to me. He pushed hard for me to come and I think him so much for that.

"He's truly a great friend - and it's a good thing I play with him because it's so difficult to be against him! He's an alien!"

Donnarumma also paid tribute to the rest of the City team for helping him acclimatise to the Premier League.

The Italian has kept six clean sheets in his first 12 games for Pep Guardiola's side so far. "I'm a bit angry because I could have kept more" laughed the goalkeeper.

"I didn't expect to have such a positive impact on the Premier League. But the team helped me a lot because the moment I arrived, they welcome me very well.

"They helped me a lot in the first games, especially the first one which was just three days in. In the first training session, it felt like I had been there for two years.

"The league is very different, there's a lot of running, a lot of intensity so I had to adapt immediately. But the team has been fundamental for me in these first few months."

(c) Sky Sports 2025: Gianluigi Donnarumma interview: Man City goalkeeper discusses summer exit from PSG and how Erling Haaland helped him join the Premier League