Gianluigi Donnarumma keen to test himself in the ‘best league in the world’

Gianluigi Donnarumma is keen to test himself in the “best league in the world” after swapping European champions Paris St Germain for Manchester City on transfer deadline day.

Donnarumma spent his first full day at City on Thursday, having travelled for international duty with Italy shortly after wrapping up a deal understood to have been worth 35million euros (£30.4million) and signing a five-year contract.

Last season the 26-year-old won the Champions League and his fourth Ligue 1 title with Paris St Germain, but boss Luis Enrique made it clear over the summer that Donnarumma was no longer first choice at the Parc des Princes and City swooped in to sign the Euro 2020 winner.

“(It’s) a new chapter in my life and my career,” Donnarumma said. “Playing in the Premier League with Manchester City is a great emotion for me and I’m ready for this challenge.

“I’ve always dreamt about playing in the Premier League as it’s the best league in the world. For a player, I think achieving in the Premier League is the maximum for his career, therefore I’m really happy to be here.

“I’m willing to take to the pitch for this club, who has been trying so much to sign me and I hope I can pay that trust back.”

Donnarumma could make his debut in Sunday’s derby as Manchester United visit the Etihad Stadium and spent Thursday trying to get up to speed as he met his new team-mates and got a good look around the club’s facilities.

“It’s a club that has always fascinated me,” he said of City. “I’ve always followed (City) with pleasure. I see everything around me like the training centre and the stadium, they are fantastic.

“You can’t tell what the club values are until you really see it with your own eyes.

“The buildings and the staff here are fantastic so I’m proud to be here and happy about the choice I’ve made and I hope I will make history here and win as many trophies as possible, that is my goal.”

City are looking to get back into the title race this season after a poor campaign by recent standards last term, when a run of four straight league crowns was ended by a third-placed finish and a fight for Champions League qualification that went to the wire.

Pep Guardiola and incoming sporting director Hugo Viana have continued an overhaul of the squad but Donnarumma could be the most significant of the new signings, given he has a very different profile to outgoing number one Ederson, whose distribution was key to City’s play.

“I won a lot in my career so I will always be thankful to (previous clubs) for everything they gave me,” Donnarumma added.

“However, I am fully focused on my new challenge here now to make history here and become a symbol for the city and for the club.

“But most of all to make the fans proud and win a lot of trophies together as it’s an historic club and deserves to be as high as possible.”