Rulli Edge Closer to Etihad Return
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.
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. Any move this summer would be a return to a club he officially once belonged to.
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.
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. Aouna adds that Marseille have already received a formal offer from City and that the two clubs are expected to reach an agreement.
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.
A Different Profile
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.