Manchester United are set to announce the signing of Borussia Dortmund midfielder Ilkay Gundogan who was also linked with a move to Arsenal.
After Borussia Dortmund announced that Ilkay Gundogan will not extend his stay at the club beyond 2016, the midfielder has attracted interest from various clubs across Europe. While Arsenal were linked with a move for Gundogan, Manchester United have also gone on to identify the German as a long-term replacement for Carrick. It is now being reported that the Old Trafford side have beaten the Gunners to sign the midfielder and will announce the signing sometime this weekend.
According to the Express, Gundogan has agreed to join the Red Devils for a fee believed to around A?20 million. The report says that despite agreeing personal terms with the club, the Germany international will not make his decision public until he plays his last game with Dortmund. The Bundesliga giants play Wolfsburg in the DFB-Pokal final on Saturday, meaning the deal could be announced this weekend.
Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke has already revealed the midfielder will not be at the club next season.
“Gundogan will be leaving Borussia Dortmund this summer, that is a fact. I am very confident we will see various clubs coming in for him.
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“It has not been our intention to see him leaving. It was his ambition to move clubs (this summer). Therefore we agreed. We will sell him.”
THT Verdict: Highly Likely
The midfielder has been linked with a move to the Premier League for a while now and Manchester United are one of the ideal suitors for Gundogan. The club is on the look-out for a deep-lying playmaker that can takeover 34-year old Carricka s role in the midfield. Going by the Dortmund chiefa s statement, the departure of Jurgen Klopp and the fact that Gundogana s contract has only one more year left on it, the club will be eager to offload the player for a decent fee this summer.