Barcelona’s priority is to sign 32-year-old Manchester City captain Ilkay Gundogan ahead of next season.
According to a report by AS, Barcelona’s priority is to sign Ilkay Gundogan. The Catalan giants might have done wonders in La Liga but have failed miserably in Europe. And, Xavi Hernandez is keen on midfield reinforcements despite their tough financial as well as legal situation.
Gundogan has been one of the most important players for Manchester City over the past few seasons. He joined them back in the summer of 2016 from Borussia Dortmund and has since gone from strength to strength.
The German international has featured in 293 matches for Manchester City and has scored 54 goals. He has also bagged 38 matches during his time in England while becoming their club captain this term. As far as the ongoing season is concerned, the 32-year-old has appeared in 40 matches and has been involved in ten goals.
Gundogan’s current contract with the Premier League champions runs out in the summer. And, as of now, there are no talks of a possible extension. With a few months left in the window, the German international is most likely to be a free agent.
Meanwhile, Barcelona, who have been interested in the 32-year-old for a while now, have a great opportunity to land him at the club. Xavi is keen on having a new midfielder in his ranks, someone who is technically gifted and can control the pace of the play.
The Spanish manager is a big admirer of the German international. And, Xavi believes his arrival could help out veteran Sergio Busquets in the centre of the park. In addition, the Manchester City captain could help cover any potential departures from the midfield. The 32-year-old has thus become a priority target for Manchester City.
While Barcelona are keen on signing Gundogan in the summer, there are quite a few problems that they will have to deal with first. Their future in Europe is currently on hold due to the Negreira case. And, the club will have to raise around $217 million before they can sign any player.
As a result, the Catalan giants will first have to sell quite a few players to make room for the arrival of the Manchester City captain. Barcelona might look to sell some of their biggest stars. And as per reports, the list includes the names of Ansu Fati, Raphinha, and Ferran Torres.
