Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan is being eyed by Barcelona as a possible replacement for Sergio Busquets.
According to a report in SPORT, Barcelona are plotting a move for Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan. Xavi Hernandez wants the player to be a short-term replacement for Sergio Busquets on priority.
Despite getting ousted from the UEFA Champions League, Barcelona do not want to give away their advantage in the domestic competition and have thus been searching for the perfect fit. Barcelona did bring Franck Kessie from AC Milan in a Bosman move. But that move has not paid off, and they are still looking for an alternative in the midfield.
Sergio Busquets’s contract is up for expiry in the 2023 summer transfer window. But it is suggested Barcelona are willing to offer him an extension as long as they do not find his potential successor.
Gundogan has played most of his career as a bridge between the midfield and the attack. But Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez believes he can adapt to fit in his philosophy as he wants the player to dictate the tempo from the deepest midfield position. The Blaugrana are thus keen on signing the German midfielder.
The 32-year-old scored the all-important winner in the game against Aston Villa, as Manchester City came from behind to clinch the Premier League title on the last day of the 2021/22 season. And a move in January seems impossible as Pep Guardiola still views Gundogan as a pivotal part of his setup.
The Manchester City manager is willing to see the club offer him a one-year extension. But if the player reiterates his desire to end his Manchester City reign the club will not stand in his way. The two parties have held “loose talks” over a possible renewal.
Barcelona have been using the free agent market pretty often as their current financial status will not allow them to spend much outside of a certain limit. They need to offload a few players to free wages which could further make them eligible to welcome new players.
The Catalan giants might decide to wait until the summer as Gundogan could be available as a free agent should he make up his mind not to extend his Manchester City stint. It remains to be seen whether the German international accepts a move to Barcelona as there won’t be a dearth of offers for the midfielder.
