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The man who discovered Gianluigi Donnarumma says people shouldn’t be surprised that the Italian has decided to turn his back on AC Milan - having done likewise at Inter.

Donnarumma, through agent Mino Raiola, informed Milan on Thursday that he would not be renewing his contract with the Rossoneri.

The 18-year-old has just one year left on his deal at San Siro, and will now either be sold this summer, or walk away on a free transfer in 2018.

But the scout who first came across Donnarumma in Naples, Giocondo Martorelli, says that the warning signs have always been there - most notably the way Milan poached the Italian international from their local rivals.

(Image: Getty) (Image: AFP/Getty Images)

“I might come off as unpleasant to some, but I was one of the very few people who saw this coming,” he told TMW Radio on Thursday evening.

“Knowing various situations, at Milan before and also after, it’s not surprising that Donnarumma won’t renew the contract. It’s a problem that needs to be tracked down to the start to understand who is responsible for reaching this point, a year before the end of the contract.

“I know everything about Donnarumma – his family, relatives, every corner of his home. There are things that really surprise me, namely that big newspapers and television stations pretended not to know what was behind him and always has been. Donnarumma’s history is complex and this is the final result of behaviour that hasn’t been fair from the start.

(Image: Claudio Villa/Getty)

“I wouldn’t say I discovered him, as I was just fortunate to be in the right place at the right time. He was 10 years old and even a blind man would’ve been able to tell Donnarumma was a talent.

“I saw this kid in Naples and immediately called Piero Ausilio at Inter. For three-and-a-half years, up until 2013, he was being groomed by Inter and had several trial runs there.

“It all went fine until the moment he was set to sign the written contract with the club. That afternoon, we all reached an agreement – him, his father and mother – after four intense years.

“The next morning, they agreed terms with Milan, without warning or fair play. There were some precedents that made me think Donnarumma could get into this situation with Milan.

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“I am perplexed at his decision not to stay with a club like Milan, but then I have my ideas on the matter.

“I’ll just repeat: his family in 2013 signed for Inter. They returned to Naples, the next morning took a plane and signed for Milan. The contract they had signed less than 24 hours earlier was worthless.

“What more do I have to say? I am stunned that some reporters continue to not know the situation or pretend not to listen.”

Milan had told prospective bidders earlier in the summer that not even €100million would tempt them to cash in.

Now they face losing a player Raiola has called “the Maradona of goalkeepers" for less than half that amount.