The 34-year-old goalkeeper has signed a two-year contract and returns to the Etihad after spending the 2016/17 season there without making an appearance. He arrives as a replacement for James Trafford, who has moved to Leeds.
Manchester City officially confirmed on Wednesday, August 12, the arrival of experienced Argentine goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli from Olympique de Marseille. The 34-year-old has signed a two-year contract with the English champions and returns to the Etihad Stadium as a familiar face, although he did not make a single official appearance for the first team during his initial spell.
Rulli already spent the 2016/17 season at Manchester City, but he did not debut for the senior squad at that time. This time, he arrives in a different role - as an experienced backup and competition for first-choice goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. His arrival fills the void left by the departure of England international James Trafford, who has decided to continue his career at Leeds United.
According to BBC Sport, City paid Marseille a fee of £1.7 million for Rulli's transfer, while Trafford's move to Leeds was completed in a deal worth up to £45 million.
The goalkeeper himself did not hide his excitement about returning to Manchester. In a club statement reported by BBC Sport, Rulli said: "This is an incredible opportunity for me and I had to take it. When the chance to join Manchester City comes along, you have to accept it. Everyone knows what an impressive club this is."
He added that conversations with people close to the club convinced him he was making the right decision. "Everyone I spoke to about City told me I had to come because they are a club with incredibly high standards. Every professional wants to be in a high-performance environment, and I can't wait to get started because I know I will improve and learn, which has always been my main priority," Rulli said.
Although he has only earned eight caps for the Argentine national team, Rulli's biography includes the golden letters of world football. He was part of the squad that won the World Cup in Qatar in 2022, and two years later, the Copa America. He also reached the final of the 2026 World Cup with the national team.
At club level, his performance in the 2021 Europa League final is particularly memorable. In the Villarreal jersey, Rulli scored a goal in the penalty shootout against Manchester United and then saved a spot-kick from United's then-goalkeeper, David de Gea, securing the trophy for his team. In his career, he has also played for Real Sociedad, Montpellier, and Ajax Amsterdam.
