Coach Abbiati urges Goalkeeper Donnarumma to stay at Milan

Milan, July 3 (IANS) A.C. Milan coach Christian Abbiati, who played for the club for 18 years, feels goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma should stay at the Italian club.

Donnarumma's agent Mino Raiola has told the club that the player would not extend his contract, which expires in 2018 and talks of his next destination would resume this week.

"The door is still open for him. It's not definite that he will leave," Abbiati told TMW Radio on Sunday.

"Milan are waiting for him with open arms and, as a friend of Gigio's, I just hope there will be a happy ending.

"Donnarumma still has huge room for improvement and he can still get better in all areas because he is a true professional. I know that he wants to improve day by day," the 39-year-old, who has been appointed manager of AC Milan recently, said.

The 18-year-old's rumoured move away from Milan has angered fans and it has been reported that his agent Raiola has lured him with more lucrative offers.

Meanwhile, Sinisa Mihajlovic, under whom Donnarumma made his debut at just 16, told La Gazzetta dello Sport: "I don't know the details of negotiations, but all I can say is that Gigio is outstanding but he is still just a lad. He still needs to improve if he wants to become a champion, and doing this in the club where he grew and where he is liked can only help him.

"These negotiations are going on too long, though. When you are 18 and you have half of Italy against you, this can get to you. Gigio was not his usual self at the European [Under-21] Championship, but then there is always a but.

"Raiola certainly isn't Mother Teresa, but he knows his job well. It depends on what offers he has on the table. If Real Madrid, Barcelona or another top club offer him double or triple what Milan are offering, then why should Gigio say no," he said.