Manchester City Are Reportedly Close to Signing Marseille Goalkeeper

Why the deal makes sense

City’s need is straightforward.

• Trafford’s exit has opened a spot behind the established starter.
• The update says Marcus Bettinelli is not viewed internally as the immediate No. 2.
• A fee of roughly £1.7 million points to a squad solution, not a headline signing.

That is often how top sides handle this position. The backup goalkeeper role is about availability, experience and trust, not glamour. City appear to be targeting all three.

What Rulli would bring

Rulli’s profile fits the brief.

• He has made 63 league appearances across the last two years at Marseille.
• He previously spent a season at Ajax.
• He was part of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning squad as the second-choice keeper.

His strongest club spell came at Villarreal, where he was the starter in the Europa League triumph and then featured in a run to the Champions League semi-finals. That background matters. City would not be asking him to carry the side, but they would be asking him to step into difficult matches without panic.

Not a perfect profile - but that is the point

Rulli is not arriving with the aura of an untouchable starter. His career has included criticism over aerial balls and decision-making outside his area, while his time at Ajax lost momentum after a shoulder injury. But reports say he rebuilt confidence at Marseille, and that is enough for the role City appear to have in mind.

If the move is completed, the next question will be simple: whether Rulli is used only as emergency cover or becomes a trusted option across domestic cup ties and busy stretches of the season.