Manchester City have completed the signing of Argentine international goalkeeper BBC from French club Olympique de Marseille. The 34-year-old has signed a two-year contract that will keep him at the Etihad Stadium until June 2028, according to reports from Yahoo and Hayters.
Manchester City Complete Signing of Geronimo Rulli
City paid a fee of approximately £1.7m for the goalkeeper, though other reports indicate the deal was valued at €2 million. Rulli, who will wear the No.28 shirt, returns to a club he first joined 10 years ago from Deportivo Maldonado. During a previous spell in the 2016-17 season, Rulli did not make a senior appearance for the Premier League side before joining Real Sociedad permanently in January 2017.
Replacement for James Trafford
Rulli arrives as a replacement for England goalkeeper James Trafford, who joined Leeds United in a deal worth up to £45m. According to The Athletic, Trafford’s departure was partly motivated by a desire for more regular first-team football following City’s signing of Reuters last summer. While Trafford helped City win the Carabao Cup and FA Cup, he was unhappy with Donnarumma’s arrival.
Rulli is expected to serve as the experienced understudy to first-choice goalkeeper Donnarumma. He will join a goalkeeping group that includes Marcus Bettinelli. Director of football Hugo Viana described Rulli as a brilliant professional
and a top ‘keeper
, stating that the qualities Rulli brings are necessary for the squad.
International and European Experience
The Argentine goalkeeper brings a wealth of experience from various European leagues, having played for Ajax, Montpellier, Real Sociedad, and Villarreal. He spent the last two seasons at Marseille, where he made 73 appearances and contributed to a second-placed Ligue 1 finish in 2024-25.
Rulli is well-known in England for his performance in the 2021 Europa League final, where he scored a penalty and denied David de Gea in a shootout to secure victory for Villarreal over Manchester United. On the international stage, Rulli has earned eight caps for Argentina. He was a member of the squads that won the 2024 Copa America and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and he reached the 2026 World Cup final. During the most recent World Cup, he served as back-up to Emiliano Martinez and did not play any minutes.
Player and Club Integration
Rulli expressed enthusiasm about the move, stating, This is an amazing opportunity for me and one I had to grasp. When the chance to join Manchester City comes along you have to go for it
. He added that he was drawn to the club’s incredibly high standards
and high-performance environment.
Under manager Enzo Maresca, Rulli will have the opportunity to work with former City goalkeeper Willy Caballero, who is now part of the backroom staff. Rulli is expected to report for his first training session on Wednesday, followed by an open training session on Thursday.
Broader Goalkeeping Changes
The acquisition of Rulli is part of a wider reshuffling of City’s goalkeeping department. The club also re-signed former academy goalkeeper Pierce Charles from Sheffield Wednesday, though Charles will spend the 2026-27 season on loan at Queens Park Rangers.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Contract Duration | Two years (until June 2028) |
| Transfer Fee | Approximately £1.7m / €2m |
| International Caps | 8 (Argentina) |
| Previous Clubs | Marseille, Ajax, Villarreal, Real Sociedad, Montpellier |
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