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City Transfer Target Evaluation — Part 1

By Taras Tataryn

Bravo has proven he can't be City's No. 1
Bravo has proven he can't be City's No. 1 /
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Geronimo Rulli: Real Sociedad (Argentina international)

Rating: 8.5/10

Likelihood: 4/5

BARCELONA, SPAIN – APRIL 15: Geronimo Rulli of Real Sociedad de Futbol blocks the ball under pressure from Gerard Pique of FC Barcelona during the La Liga match between FC Barcelona and Real Sociedad de Futbol at Camp Nou stadium on April 15, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
BARCELONA, SPAIN – APRIL 15: Geronimo Rulli of Real Sociedad de Futbol blocks the ball under pressure from Gerard Pique of FC Barcelona during the La Liga match between FC Barcelona and Real Sociedad de Futbol at Camp Nou stadium on April 15, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images) /

Evaluation: 

Not even quite sure I understand the whole deal behind Geronimo Rulli. All I know is we have the opportunity to buy him and have a trading relationship with Real Sociedad.

What I do know for sure is that Rulli is a fantastic goalkeeper. He comes up big in games against teams like, for example, Real Madrid. Take a look at this save.

Like all goalies on City’s radar, he is a great shot-stopper. That is the most glaring deficiency in this position. Rulli has the right stature and mobility to be a great keeper in the Premier League. As you can see in the picture above, he is strong in the air with his height, but he is also very quick on his feet and off his line as well.

Moreover, he can definitely be a Pep player. He has shown his ability to distribute from the back. In fact, according to OptaJose, in the Spanish La Liga, Rulli attempted more passes than any other keeper, along with a 72% pass accuracy (through games in February). Thus, he definitely has the confidence to play out of the back.

Here is a great highlight video that encompasses his shot-stopping and ability to play out of the back (and the occasional accurate long-ball).

Rating Explanation (8.5/10): 

I have not watched games closely enough to see Rulli perform game by game, but against big teams, he has played spectacularly. This list has some incredible keepers, and Rulli has great potential to be at the top. Moreover, there are some fantastic teams in La Liga as compared to the Portuguese League and Serie A. Rulli has proven himself against big name teams.

In terms of fit, I think he fits in perfectly with Pep’s plans and could be a great goalie for Manchester City if we pursue. If the man wants to come to City, then why not?

Likelihood:

 As City currently retain a buy-back option with Rulli, I can definitely see this transfer coming through. Even better, Rulli thinks City are one of the biggest clubs in Europe and dreams of playing for City. If Rulli wants to take the next step to becoming a top-class keeper, it’s not going to help staying in La Liga with Real Sociedad. City should be his next destination. Fingers crossed.

Strengths:

  • Close-range stopping
  • Long-range passing
  • Tall, but quick on his feet

Weaknesses: 

  • ?