Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has been linked with a move away from the club at the end of the season, with Barcelona interested.
According to Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, Ilkay Gundogan is free to decide his future amid links with Bayern Munich and Barcelona. The German international will be a free agent in the summer. And Guardiola feels that the player has earned the right to decide his future after the way he has served the club over the years.
“I think I know my opinion about Ilkay. What Ilkay has done against Aston Villa last season [scoring two late goals to seal the Premier League title] he can do whatever he wants,” Guardiola said. “He has the paradise already. So he knows exactly my opinion about him.
“The club knows it and it is a question for him and his agent. What is going to happen I’m pretty sure is going to be good for him. Really we want how he is behaving, how he has behaved all his life in Manchester but what is going to happen? This kind of things belongs to the club and the player.”
Gundogan was one of the main reasons Manchester City won the Premier League title last season. The German international scored a priceless brace against Aston Villa on the last day of the season to hand the title to Manchester City.
The 32-year-old is in his twilight years now but remains a key player for Pep Guardiola. And he has also been the captain of the club this season. Gundogan is still a top-class player capable of playing for the big clubs.
It will be interesting to see if the German decides to pursue a new challenge at the end of the season amid interest from Barcelona and Bayern Munich. The opportunity to play for Barcelona or Bayern Munich could prove to be an attractive option for the German international. And it remains to be seen what he decides.
As per the Manchester City manager, the Premier League club are open to retaining his services and extending his contract. But the final decision will depend on the player and his agent. His departure will certainly come as a blow for Manchester City, as they will have to dip into the transfer market in order to bring in a quality replacement.
The Premier League champions have been linked with Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham. It remains to be seen whether they can raid the Bundesliga club to bring in a replacement for the 32-year-old German international in the summer.
Bellingham has been linked with other Premier League clubs as well. And Manchester City face an uphill challenge to land him. As far as Gundogan is concerned, he could prove to be an exceptional acquisition for any club, especially on a free transfer.
Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets is expected to leave the club at the end of the season, while Franck Kessie has been largely underwhelming. Xavi Hernandez needs more quality in the midfield, and Gundogan could be the ideal acquisition for them.
