Manchester City have officially announced the signing of Marseille goalkeeper Rulli on a two-year contract.

Manchester City announced on Wednesday that they have officially signed 34-year-old Marseille goalkeeper Gironimo Rulli. The two sides signed a two-year contract, valid until June 30, 2028.

The official announcement also confirmed that Rulli will wear the number 28 jersey for Manchester City. All indications suggest he will be second in the pecking order after Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Regarding Rulli's transfer fee, reports vary slightly. According to multiple media outlets, his transfer fee is estimated to be between €3.5 million and €3.8 million.

Rulli's return to Manchester City marks the reunion of the two clubs after nine years. He briefly played for Manchester City for half a season in 2016 but never got a chance to play.

Besides Manchester City, Rulli has also left his mark on major European leagues. As a product of Estudiantes de La Plata's youth academy, he played for several teams including Maldonado, Real Sociedad, Montpellier, Villarreal, and Ajax, and won the 2020/21 Europa League title with Villarreal.

In August 2024, Rulli joined Marseille from Ajax for €4 million. To date, he has made 73 appearances for Marseille, keeping 14 clean sheets.

At the national team level, Rulli has long served as Emiliano Martinez's backup goalkeeper. He has made only 8 appearances for Argentina to date, winning the European and American Cup, the World Cup, and the Copa America.

After completing the transfer, Rulli stated through Manchester City's official channels: "This is a fantastic opportunity for me, and I have to seize it. When the opportunity to join Manchester City comes, you have to give it your all."

"As everyone knows, this is a great club. Manchester City's long-standing achievements are remarkable. Everyone who has spoken to me about Manchester City has advised me to join them because it is a club with extremely high standards."

“Every professional player longs to be in a high-level competitive environment, and I can’t wait to start a new journey. I know I will continue to improve and learn at Manchester City, and that has always been my primary goal.”

"My current task is to train hard, get to know my teammates and staff, and do my best to reach my best condition."

Meanwhile, Manchester City's sporting director, Hugo Viana, was delighted with Rulli's arrival: "It's a great pleasure to welcome Gironimo back to the club. There's no doubt about the experience he brings – after all, he's been playing at the highest level for many years."

“I was very impressed by his strong desire to join us during our conversations. We not only acquired an outstanding professional player, but also a top-class goalkeeper.”

“Everyone at Manchester City is excited about his return. We desperately need his abilities. He will form a great partnership with Gianni Luigi Donnarumma and Marcus Bettinelli. Our goalkeeping coach is very pleased with this.”

Image source: Internet/Manchester City official website