Football
Ben Gladwell, Italy correspondent 6y

AC Milan's Gennaro Gattuso plays down Gianluigi Donnarumma exit talk

AC Milan coach Gennaro Gattuso has shrugged off speculation that Gianluigi Donnarumma wants to leave the club by saying the goalkeeper looks as committed as ever to the side.

An article in Il Corriere della Sera on Tuesday claimed that Donnarumma had written to Milan asking them to tear up the contract he signed last summer as he had been placed under emotional pressure to extend his deal. He had originally told the club he would not be signing a new contract.

Donnarumma's agent, Mino Raiola, who was not present when he signed the new deal through to 2021, is reported to be demanding that Milan no longer honour the agreement, which would mean his client would revert back to the contract he was on before, which expires next summer.

Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid have both been linked with a move for the 18-year-old, but Gattuso says there does not appear to be any truth in the report.

"There's no problem from my side. [General manager Marco] Fassone and [sporting director Massimiliano] Mirabelli will talk if there are any problems with him," Gattuso told Milan TV. "I speak with him every day and problems have never emerged.

"He gets annoyed when we aren't getting results and after Benevento, he was very sad because we conceded in the 96th minute, but he looks relaxed to me."

Donnarumma has conceded 21 goals in 16 Serie A games this term with Milan struggling to meet their preseason expectations.

In the summer, Raiola said that Donnarumma's future depended on him being convinced by the club's ambitions, with Milan going on to spend €200 million on new signings.

However, they are 11 points off the pace for the top four with Champions League football next season currently looking unlikely.

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