Manchester City are closing in on a deal with French side Marseille for the transfer of experienced Argentinian goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli.
The English club is urgently seeking a reliable second-choice keeper after homegrown talent James Trafford nears a move to Leeds United for regular playing time.
Financial details and contract terms
According to reports from TEAMtalk and FourFourTwo, both parties are in the final stages of negotiating the terms of the deal.
Personal terms: The 34-year-old keeper has already agreed to a two-year contract with the Citizens and expressed his desire to return to Manchester.
Disagreement over fees: Manchester City have submitted an official offer of €2 million, while Marseille are holding out for around €3.5 million. However, the two sides are confidently moving towards a compromise.
A history of relations: Rulli was once part of the Manchester City squad during the 2016/17 season but did not feature in any official matches and was sold to Real Sociedad.
Transfer chain in France
Rulli's departure from Marseille is further propelled by the club's active search for a replacement: the French side is in negotiations to sign Toulouse goalkeeper Guillaume Restes.
The arrival of the World Cup winner and Europa League champion Rulli is seen at the Etihad as a calculated low-risk move: the Argentinian is expected to comfortably accept the role as second fiddle to Gianluigi Donnarumma, providing solid cover in cup competitions.
