Donnarumma is not a slave – 11 top clubs want him, says Raiola

Eleven top clubs are interested in signing Gianluigi Donnarumma but AC Milan still have a chance of keeping the goalkeeper, according to his agent Mino Raiola.

Raiola stated that the in-demand Donnarumma is not “a slave” or “a robot” amid huge speculation over whether he will sign a new deal at San Siro, with his contract due to expire in 2018.

But the 18-year-old could still stay at San Siro, with his agent apparently happy to give the club’s new owners time.

“Gigio is the Maradona of goalkeepers,” Raiola said to Corriere dello Sport.

“He can only grow and he has to be left alone to grow in peace. He is not a slave, nor a robot.

“There are 11 top clubs which are interested in him. The concept is clear. Donnarumma’s contract will expire on June 30, 2018. I’ve never said to Milan, ‘He will sign now or not at all’.

“I understand the stress and the expectations of the fans, Gigio is already a symbol for the club and for the new owners it would be ideal to seal a renewal today. Yesterday, in fact.

“But Marco Fassone and Massimiliano Mirabelli only took office just over a month ago. Leave us to work in peace.

“If you ask me, ‘Is there a chance Donnarumma will sign with Milan again?’, then the answer is yes. If you ask me: ‘Is there a chance Donnarumma will leave Milan?’, the answer is yes.”

#ACMilan announces the contract renewal with @VMontella through to 30 June 2019
Prolungato il contratto con Vincenzo Montella al 30/06/2019 pic.twitter.com/5vNpnpOdxw

— AC Milan (@acmilan) May 30, 2017

Milan head coach Vincenzo Montella urged Donnarumma to use his head when thinking about his future.

“I don’t have his phone number,” Raiola said of Montella. “I’m not a coach and he is not an agent. 

“He can give advice to Gianluigi, but I would prefer him to give advice about how not to concede goals. I will handle the rest.

“And don’t forget that it was me who took Gigio to Milan, by rejecting Inter.

“We are talking about an 18-year-old lad, a phenomenon who is already being called to make a fundamental decision in his life. It’s a decision which will be weighed-up and, certainly, won’t depend only on wages.

“People say Donnarumma should be grateful to Milan. It is true, but Milan should also be grateful to Donnarumma. And to Sinisa Mihajlovic [for giving him his debut].”