Gianluigi Donnarumma's high-profile agent, Mino Raiola, has compared the goalkeeper to Diego Maradona, Pele and famous Italian painter, Amedeo Modigliani. AC Milan's 17-year-old goalkeeper is seen as the heir apparent to Gianluigi Buffon in the Italy goal and Raiola, who works with the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba, is not playing his abilities down. "I've said it many times, he is like a work of Modigliani," the agent told Corriere della Sera. "He is the Maradona and the Pele of goalkeeping." Donnarumma is a target for all the big teams in Europe, and Raiola won't deny reports linking him with a move away from the San Siro. "He is in a universal market," he added. "I will never discount anything - never."
Gianluigi Buffon made his debut for Italy, his namesake Gianluigi Donnarumma had not even been born, and yet on Thursday they will be goalkeeping partners for the Azzurri in their clash against Spain. Donnarumma, who plays for Milan, celebrated his 17th birthday in February and is tipped to replace Buffon once he retires from the Italian national team after the World Cup in 2018. At just 15 years of age, Donnarumma was training with the Milan first team and, following some poor form by former Real Madrid goalkeeper Diego Lopez, he was promoted to the starting line-up as a 16-year-old by former head coach Sinisa Mihajlovic. Since then, the tall goalkeeper - standing at 1.98m - has made 38 appearances in Serie A and has also played for the national team.His debut for the Azzurri came in a defeat against France, but he exhibited why so many hold him in such high regard, becoming the youngest debutant for Italy since 1910. "Donnarumma has everything to succeed," said Buffon. "He will be the best in the world, but the road to that point is long. "His career is going to be extraordinary, even debuting a year before I did. "My advice has always been for him to continue his growth in a natural way and to not get carried away by his surroundings."
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