RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 2 sourcesManchester City agree personal terms over two-year contract with goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli
Man City have agreed personal terms with Marseille goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli
Rulli wants to join City on a two-year contract despite interest from Sporting Lisbon
Marseille have received an offer from City, with the two clubs expected to reach an agreement
Manchester City have agreed personal terms with Geronimo Rulli on a two-year contract, with negotiations between the club and Marseille still ongoing, as per new reports.
The 34-year-old Argentine was identified by director of football Hugo Viana as his preferred option to fill the backup goalkeeper role left vacant by James Trafford’s move to Leeds United , with City’s hierarchy moving quickly to address the position after the Trafford deal was finalised.
Rulli joins the pursuit as a goalkeeper with a unique prior connection to the Etihad Stadium, having been registered as a Manchester City player during the 2016-17 season before spending the campaign on loan at Real Sociedad in Spain – making any move this summer a return to a club he officially once belonged to.
Manchester City identify Argentinian goalkeeper as James Trafford replacement
The experienced Argentine has since gone on to represent Villarreal , Ajax and Marseille at the top level, cementing his reputation as a reliable, composed and technically sound shot-stopper who most recently played 29 times across all competitions for Marseille in 2025-26.
His contract at Olympique Marseille runs until June 2027, meaning City would be required to pay a transfer fee to bring the deal forward by a year – a factor that forms the central element of the ongoing club-to-club negotiations as the two parties look to find an agreement.
Report: Rulli wants City despite Sporting interest as personal terms agreed
As reported by Santi Aouna , Rulli is keen on a move to Manchester City despite Sporting CP also having expressed an interest in the goalkeeper, with the Argentine making his preference for the Premier League clear as clubs compete for his signature this summer.
Aouna adds that Marseille have already received a formal offer from City and that the two clubs are expected to reach an agreement, suggesting the deal is progressing in the right direction even if the specific terms of the compensation package have yet to be finalised.
Uriel Iugt adds a further layer of clarity, reporting that City have reached an agreement with Rulli over the personal terms of a two-year contract – confirming that the player’s side of the negotiation has been resolved and that the outstanding element is now purely the club-to-club fee with Marseille.
The combination of the two reports paints a picture of a deal that has made significant progress on multiple fronts simultaneously, with Rulli’s desire to join and the personal terms now settled leaving only the compensation structure between Manchester City and Marseille as the remaining obstacle to a formal announcement.
Leeds United and Manchester City agree terms on James Trafford transfer including future clause What does Rulli’s potential arrival mean for Man City’s goalkeeping plans?
Rulli’s experience – spanning multiple top European leagues and Champions League football with Villarreal, where he saved crucial penalties in their famous 2022 run – makes him a markedly different profile to Gianluigi Donnarumma ‘s young challengers within the academy ranks, and precisely the kind of senior, proven presence Enzo Maresca needs as a reliable number two behind his Argentine compatriot.
The two-year structure of the personal terms agreed is a sensible fit for a 34-year-old goalkeeper joining in a backup capacity, providing City with the security of an experienced option without an overly long-term commitment that could complicate the development pathways of Oliver Whatmuff and the recently arrived Max Chabot as they continue their respective progressions through the club’s system.
Whether Marseille’s willingness to part with their first-choice goalkeeper a year before his contract expires can be converted into a swift formal agreement, or whether the negotiation requires further patience as the window ticks toward its deadline, is now the one remaining variable in a deal that otherwise appears close to being done.
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