A former Manchester City player and manager has defended the club's imminent deadline day transfer of Gianluigi Donnarumma from Paris Saint Germain.
The goalkeeper is on his way to the Etihad Stadium after his current club deemed him surplus to requirements and put him up for sale this summer.
This was despite the Italian impressing for Luis Enrique's side last season, as PSG went on to win the Champions League for the first time and clean up domestically.
However, the 26-year-old's impending move to City has raised some eyebrows among the club's fanbase and media. Skepticism over the transfer exists due to the type of keeper that Donnarumma is.
While he is regarded as an elite shot-stopper and a dominant presence in the six-yard box, the Italian struggles to play out from the back with his feet, something which Pep Guardiola typically demands from his keepers.
Also, City have already brought in a new keeper this summer, with the club re-signing James Trafford from Burnley.
Trafford possesses more of the distribution and kicking qualities suited to a Guardiola system, and at 22, is regarded as a future no. 1 in the City net. Although, he did have massive struggles in his side's 2-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur recently.
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Former City player and boss reacts to Donnarumma's imminent arrival
Ex-City defender and manager Stuart Pearce is a fan of the Donnarumma signing despite worries over the Italian potentially hampering Trafford's development at the club.
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The 63-year-old believes Trafford should embrace Donnarumma's arrival at the Etihad Stadium because it can impact his career for the better.
"I would say look at the age you (Trafford) are at the moment, see this as a positive if Donnarumma comes in. You've got competition, so you've got to up your game," Pearce explained on talkSPORT.
"You've got a top goalkeeper advising. You've got a great role model that has been around the block to learn from over the next year or so," he added.
"I would use it as a positive rather than a negative if I was him."
Donnarumma's imminent move is part of a big reshuffle in the goalkeeping department at City, with previous first-choice no. 1, Ederson, closing in on a move to Fenerbahce.
Meanwhile, Stefan Ortega has been linked with a move away from the club, but it is unclear if the City keeper will leave before Monday's transfer deadline (September 1).
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