Donnarumma WILL be the Next Great Keeper

Those of you who are seeing those strands of grey appearing, and can't move as freely as you once did with that spring in your step,  can you remember what you were doing at seventeen?

I was back in school, nursing a football ankle injury (which i still have), obsessed with the Matrix (which I still am), and just acting like your regular teenager.

But our friend Gianluigi Donnarumma at the young age of seventeen, is not only AC Milan's number one keeper, but you can argue he's in at least the top seven keepers in the world right now.

This article wasn't propelled because of his magnificent save from Dybala's penalty that gifted Milan a suprising Super Cup victory over Juventus.* That would mean I haven't been watching him as he's captured the imagination of a league that needs some inspiration.

* That save was pretty impressive though.

Ever since he made his debut, the kid has looked like a natural. Assured, composed, never showing his youth, but also pulling off some magnificent saves to allow his team to hold onto victory. It's been amazing to see how much talent he has at his age.

Seventeen?!!

And you know what, maybe it's fate. He shares the same first name with a certain goalkeeper who will go down as a legend once he hangs up his gloves. So it's only fitting that he is the one to take over to become the national team's number one keeper.

As for AC Milan, who have not had a really good keeper for a long time, it's comforting to know that their last line of defence is so resolute. Without a doubt, Donnarumma is better than both Abbiatti and Dida with the expectation that he will improve in time.

That's what is so special about him. If he was this good but was in his mid to late twenties, then you'd just shrug your shoulders and say he's a really quality keeper. What draws the eye is how mature he is between the posts at such an early age, and the fact that if he stays clear from injury and works on his game, he could perhaps be one of the best keepers we've ever seen.

Seventeen?!!

At the moment, you look at both Neuer and De Gea being the current best keepers in the world, with the German redefining the position with his bravery to act as a sweeper. But Donnarumma is knocking at that door, and with this Super Cup heroics, more people are starting to take notice at what he can do.

And who knows what will happen in 2018, as Buffon could get an injury that prevents him from playing and the kid might just get his first taste of an international football in the biggest tournament of them all.


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HH