Gerónimo Rulli Returns to Manchester City: From Hero to Veteran

Manchester City have turned to a familiar name to reinforce their goalkeeping ranks, bringing Gerónimo Rulli back to the Etihad in a £1.7m deal from Marseille.

This time, he arrives with a story to tell.

The 34-year-old Argentine has signed a two-year contract, returning to a club where his first spell barely left a footprint. In 2016-17 he was on City’s books but never played a competitive first-team minute, a technical stop-off in a complex transfer chain that quickly sent him back to Spain. Blink, and you missed him.

Now he comes back as a World Cup winner, a Europa League hero and one of the most seasoned goalkeepers on the European circuit.

From anonymous loanee to shootout legend

Rulli’s name truly travelled in May 2021. Villarreal, the underdogs, stood toe-to-toe with Manchester United in the Europa League final in Gdańsk. The shootout became an ordeal, stretching deep into sudden death. Every outfield player scored.

Then came the goalkeepers.

Rulli stepped up first and buried his penalty with the composure of a centre-forward. Moments later, facing David de Gea, he guessed right, saved, and turned a long, tense night into Villarreal’s greatest European triumph. One kick, one save, and his career was reframed.

That moment, more than any previous season, marked him out as a goalkeeper with nerve and personality, not just technique.

A career built across Europe

Rulli has taken the scenic route back to Manchester. He made his name at Real Sociedad, where his sharp reflexes and comfort with the ball at his feet suited Spanish football. Spells at Montpellier and Ajax followed, each adding another layer of experience in different leagues, different styles, different pressures.

He has rarely been the headline act at the very top tier, but he has been consistently trusted. Coaches across Europe have turned to him for stability, for calm, for a goalkeeper who understands the demands of possession-based football.

At international level, he has had to live in the shadow of others, yet still found his place. Rulli owns eight caps for Argentina and, crucially, a spot in two historic squads: the 2022 World Cup winners in Qatar and the 2024 Copa America champions. He was not the main star in either tournament, but he was part of a golden era, absorbing that environment of relentless standards and expectation.

Why City want him now

For City, this is a move about trust and profile. A modest fee, a short contract, a goalkeeper who has seen almost everything the game can throw at him.

He understands the club, even if his first stay was fleeting. He understands European competition. He understands what it means to be ready at a moment’s notice, whether as a starter or as the man waiting for his chance behind an established number one.

Pep Guardiola demands goalkeepers who can play, think and handle pressure. Rulli has built a career on exactly that blend, even if much of it has unfolded away from the very brightest spotlight.

Rulli leaves Marseille for a second shot at a club that once passed him by. This time, he arrives not as a name on a paperwork trail, but as a decorated veteran with medals, memories and one unforgettable night in Gdańsk on his CV.

City now know exactly who they are getting. The question is how big a role this version of Gerónimo Rulli will carve out in a squad chasing every trophy, every season.