The hugely experienced goalkeeper has made the move to the Etihad from French club Marseille and signed a two-year contract, one that takes him through to the summer of 2028.
For the Argentine international it marks a second spell at City with Rulli having spent the 2016/17 season at the Etihad without making a first team appearance.
The 34-year-old arrives back in Manchester armed with a wealth of elite level experience.
On the international stage, he has won eight caps for his country and was part of the Argentina squad that lifted both the 2022 FIFA World Cup and 2024 Copa America.
At club level meanwhile, Rulli boasts an extensive and impressive CV.
It’s one that ranges from time spent both playing in his native Argentina with Estudiantes and then subsequently across Europe with a host of top sides including Real Sociedad and Villarreal of Spain, Dutch giants Ajax, French side Montpellier and most latterly Marseille, also of France.
His time at Villarreal meanwhile saw Rulli help the Spanish side to memorably lift the 2020/21 Europa League against Manchester United.
Having sealed the move to City, Rulli said he was hugely excited to have joined Enzo Maresca’s squad.
“This is an amazing opportunity for me and one I had to grasp,” Rulli said. “When the chance to join Manchester City comes along you have to go for it.
“Everyone knows what an impressive club this is. City’s success over a long time has been impressive. Everyone I have spoken to about City said I had to join them because they are a club with incredibly high standards.
“Every professional wants to be in a high-performance environment and I can’t wait to get started because I know I will improve and learn, which is always my main priority.
“My job now is to train hard, get to know the players and staff and do everything I can to reach my best level.”
For his part meanwhile, Football Director Hugo Viana was equally delighted to welcome Rulli to the Club.
“It’s a pleasure to welcome Gerónimo back to the Club,” Viana said. “The experience he brings is obvious – he has played at the very highest level for many years.
“I have been really impressed by him during our conversations, a strong desire to join us. It’s clear we are getting a brilliant professional, as well as a top ‘keeper.
“Everyone at City is looking forward to welcoming him back to the Club. The qualities he will bring are ones we need, and together with Gigio and Marcus make a great team. Our goalkeeper coaches are really happy with the group.”
Everyone at Manchester City would like to welcome Gerónimo to the Club and wish him the best of luck throughout his time here.
Glove story
As well as his acclaimed natural talent and ability, Gerónimo Rulli brings with him another priceless commodity to City – that of a wealth of top-class experience.
Over the course of a diverse and fascinating career to date, the 34-year-old has constantly shown he possesses both the talent and temperament required of an elite goalkeeper.
Rulli’s initial career breakthrough came via his native Argentina.
Having graduated through Estudiantes’ youth system, Rulli was subsequently afforded his senior professional debut in April 2013.
Having quickly cemented his place as first choice goalkeeper with the La Plata side, Rulli swiftly went on to create a club record by chalking up 588 minutes without conceding a goal later that year.
His rapid emergence soon altered a host of clubs to his ability and having made a move to Uruguayan outfit Deportivo Maldanado in the summer of 2014, he subsequently made a loan switch to Spanish La Liga side Real Sociedad, going on to spend two years with the Basque club.
A move to City swiftly followed in the summer of 2016 but with competition for places high at the Etihad, Rulli then spent the second half of the 2016/17 campaign back on loan with Sociedad before making a permanent move to the San Sebastian side in the summer of 2017.
Having chalked up 170 appearances in total for Real Sociedad, another loan move beckoned in 2019, this time to French side Montpellier.
After a season in the south of France, Rulli was to then make a quickfire return to Spain, signing a permanent deal with Villarreal in the summer of 2020 with the highlight of his three seasons in eastern Spain culminating in that Europa League success against Manchester United in the summer of 2021.
In one of the most extraordinary finals ever staged, Rulli’s heroics proved pivotal as first his successful spot kick followed by a decisive penalty save from David de Gea saw Villarreal claim the trophy 11-10 on penalties after the sides had drawn 1-1 over normal and extra time.
Rulli made another impressive addition to his burgeoning CV in January 2023 as criss crossed Europe once more, this time to Ajax of Amsterdam.
Though his period with the Eredivisie giants was hampered by a shoulder injury, Rulli still made an impressive impact in the Dutch capital before another career switch saw him return to France’s Ligue 1 in the summer of 2024 via a move to Marseille.
Swiftly establishing himself as number one at the Stade Velodrome, Rulli chalked up more than 70 appearances in two impressive seasons with the iconic French outfit, helping them finish second and fifth respectively in Ligue 1.
Meanwhile across the course of that stellar Club level, Rulli has also been a key component of the Argentine national squad, latterly emerging as trusted back-up to Emiliano Martinez.
Having first been called up in 2015, he made his full debut in 2018 and went on to be part of Lionel Scaloni’s side that won the 2022 Finalissima, 2022 FIFA World Cup and 2024 Copa America.
Meanwhile Rulli also featured three times for his country in the 2016 Olympics held in Brazil whilst more latterly he was part of the Argentine squad that finished runners-up at the 2026 World Cup finals.
Armed with such a wide ranging and impressive CV, now comes the latest challenge with Rulli bringing his vast know how and knowledge to help further bolster Maresca’s City squad.
Season-by season stats
2012/13 – Estudiantes
Appearances - 15
Clean sheets - 8
2013/14 – Estudiantes
Appearances – 38
Clean sheets - 18
2014/15 – Real Sociedad (on loan)
Appearances - 26
Clean sheets – 8
2015/16 – Real Sociedad (on loan)
Appearances – 37
Clean sheets – 14
2016/17 – Real Sociedad
Appearances - 44
Clean sheets – 10
2017/18 – Real Sociedad
Appearances – 34
Clean sheets – 10
2018/19 – Real Sociedad
Appearances – 29
Clean sheets – 8
2019/20 – Montpellier (loan)
Appearances - 28
Clean sheets – 11
2020/21 – Villarreal
Appearances – 20
Clean sheets – 9
2021/22 – Villarreal
Appearances - 46
Clean sheets – 18
2022/23 – Villarreal/Ajax
Appearances – 39
Clean sheets – 17
2023/24 – Ajax
Appearances – 8
Clean sheets – 3
2024/25 – Marseille
Appearances – 34
Clean sheets – 5
2025/26 – Marseille
Appearances – 39
Clean sheets - 9
