Another unveiling at the Etihad, a goalkeeper of world renown, who on the face of it reinforces the new order of things in Manchester – City all over it, their once great neighbours United fiddling about by the sale rail.

United expressed interested in Gianluigi Donnarumma too, but had to make do with Senne Lammens, a little-known prospect of limited experience from Belgium.

Meanwhile the ‘keeper who arrived at Old Trafford two years ago with Donnarumma-like fanfare, Andre Onana, is working his passage in Turkey’s remote north east with Trabzonspor.

Whilst Donnarumma’s debut in Sunday’s Manchester derby conforms to the all-powerful City narrative, a club that gets stuff done when a need is identified, life at City is a little more nuanced in this period of renewal, and the Italian swoop

See Full Page