On 9 August, PSG announced the signing of Lille goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier for a fee of €55m (£48m/$64m), tying the Frenchman to a five-year contract. That huge fee and long-term commitment spoke volumes, so it wasn’t much of a surprise when Donnarumma was left out of the UEFA Super Cup squad to face Tottenham five days later.
“I am supported by my club and we are trying to find the best solution,” Luis Enrique said in a pre-match press conference. “It was a difficult decision. I can only praise Donnarumma. He is one of the best goalkeepers in the world and even better as a human being. But we were looking for a different profile. It is very difficult to take this kind of decision.”
The Spaniard wanted a more modern, ball-savvy goalkeeper for the next stage of his project at the Parc des Princes, and Chevalier fits the bill, with 722 successful passes compared to Donnarumma’s 463 in Ligue 1 last season. Surprisingly, the fact that Donnarumma was superior to Chevalier in terms of blocking shots and controlling the penalty box was not taken into consideration in this decision.
It would be unfair to so easily dismiss Donnarumma after four years of outstanding service, and he admitted feeling “disappointed and distraught” in a farewell post on social media. He has every right to feel that way, and he explained more about his departure in an interview with Sky Sports in November, when he had become a key figure for Pep Guardiola at City.
“I felt disappointed (by PSG) because I adapted and paid special attention,” he said. “But the last few months have been completely different. I’ll never be able to explain it, but you have to accept it.”
Reports have also emerged stating that PSG are reluctant to meet Donnarumma’s demands regarding a contract extension, which includes an increased annual salary of €12 million. Chevalier reportedly receives a much lower annual salary package of €6 million, but it is now abundantly clear that the difference in wages also reflects the difference in quality between the two players.
