Barcelona are reportedly set to face competition from Juventus for the signing of Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan in the summer.
According to BILD, Serie A giants Juventus are set to rival Barcelona in the race to sign Manchester City and Germany midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, who will enter the final year of his contract this summer.
Gundogan joined Manchester City from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2016, becoming one of the first signings of the Pep Guardiola era at the Etihad Stadium. The 31-year-old had to deal with injury issues early on in his time at the Premier League but has since grown into a vital cog for the Cityzens, playing an integral role in the success that they have achieved over the years.
Gundogan has made 253 appearances for Manchester City so far in his career, scoring 49 goals and setting up 33 more. Ten of those 49 goals came during the 2021/22 campaign, including two in the final Premier League match of the season against Aston Villa, which helped seal the title for his team.
However, given his contract situation at the Etihad, Gundogan is being linked with an exit from Manchester City, with the English champions open to the possibility of a sale.
Gundogan’s potential availability in the summer transfer window has seemingly alerted Barcelona, who are interested in signing the 31-year-old German international. The Catalan giants are set to strengthen their midfield in the summer with the impending arrival of Franck Kessie on a Bosman deal.
However, question marks linger over the future of Frenkie de Jong, who is a target for Manchester United, while Barcelona are also on the lookout for a player to provide cover for club captain Sergio Busquets. Gundogan might prove to be a two-in-one solution for the Blaugrana, although, given his age, he would only be a short-term fix.
But, Barcelona are going to face competition from Juventus in the race for Gundogan. The Bianconeri are looking at a revamp of their midfield department as they prepare to usher out the likes of Arthur Melo and Adrien Rabiot. Having struggled to challenge for the Serie A title in the last two years, they could be well served by adding a player of Gundogan’s experience and winning mentality.
However, the report adds that Barcelona have always been the dream club for Gundogan. But the Catalans’ financial situation might prohibit them from landing the German international. At the same time, there is also the possibility of the midfielder signing a new deal to prolong his stay at the Etihad. So, it remains to be seen how things develop in the coming weeks.