- Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan might leave the club in the summer transfer window
- La Liga giants Barcelona are the most expected suitors of the former German international
- The Catalans are close to reaching an agreement with the midfielder who is out of contract in June
Barcelona are close to reaching an agreement with Manchester City captain Ilkay Gundogan, who is out of contract this summer.
City have not given up hope that the 32-year-old would continue at the reigning Premier League winners, but insiders say the club will not press the issue with Gundogan due to his exceptional service over the years.
Gundogan’s representation has been in discussions with Barcelona for some months, and 90min reported in October on Bayern Munich’s long-standing interest in the German, who formerly played for Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund. Paris Saint-Germain have also contacted his team.
READ: Ilkay Gundogan allowed to seek a move from Manchester City
Pep Guardiola, City manager, admitted in February that Gundogan “can do whatever he wants” after Gundogan scored twice on the final day of the 2021/22 Premier League season, strikes that gave the Citizens a thrilling, title-winning three points against Aston Villa.
The Spaniard also stated that Gundogan “has the paradise already” and that “he knows exactly my opinion about him,” implying that he wants his skipper to stay at the club.
Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan is out of contract in June and Barcelona is expecting to sign him as a free agent in the summer transfer window. | PHOTO: Sky Sports |
However, according to rumours, while further talks with Barcelona have not yet resulted in a formal agreement, the Catalan giants are closing in on a deal for Gundogan.
Gundogan’s seven-year tenure with Manchester City, during which he won four Premier League titles and seven domestic cup tournaments, will come to an end with a move to Camp Nou this summer. He has nearly 300 appearances for the club in all competitions, scoring several memorable goals while playing as a box-to-box midfielder.
Gundogan’s probable signing at Barcelona would provide depth to Xavi’s soon-to-be crowned La Liga champions, who are aiming to reposition themselves as a force in the Champions League following two early exits.
Barcelona’s financial difficulties are well documented, so the opportunity to sign a player of Gundogan’s calibre on a free transfer is undoubtedly appealing – the club completed similar deals for Franck Kessie, Andreas Christensen, and Marcos Alonso earlier this season for similar reasons.
The Catalan giants are also hoping to persuade Lionel Messi to complete a fairytale return to the club, two years after he left for Paris Saint-Germain due to the same financial problems that the club is still dealing with.
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