Ilkay Gundogan is reportedly on the verge of rejoining Manchester City, with the Premier League champions re-signing him for free.
According to an update by reputed Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, Ilkay Gundogan has been the subject of interest from Manchester City. The Barcelona midfielder was keen on rejoining the Premier League champions this summer after the Blaugrana looked to part ways with him due to financial issues. The German veteran will rejoin Manchester City on a free transfer while signing a one-year contract.
The Ilkay Gundogan tale
Ilkay Gundogan has been one of the best midfielders in the world in the last decade. The veteran midfielder has enjoyed legendary stints with Borussia Dortmund and Manchester City, serving the latter as the club captain before joining Barcelona in a Bosman move in 2023.
The 33-year-old has been excellent for Barcelona since arriving from Manchester City last summer, contributing to 19 goals in 51 appearances thus far by finding the back of the net five times and providing 14 assists. However, Gundogan has played his final game for Barcelona.
With the Blaugrana enduring a crippling financial situation and struggling to register new signing Dani Olmo, something had to give. So, Barcelona decided to sacrifice Gundogan, even though Hansi Flick initially wanted to keep the former German international at the club. As the updates rapidly emerged last week, Gundogan picked Manchester City as his preferred destination.
Gundogan set to rejoin Manchester City
Manchester City responded by contacting Barcelona to discuss a move for Ilkay Gundogan. The Premier League champions’ interest in their former club captain is understandable. They struggled to fill Gundogan’s void last season. That was hardly surprising as he can reprise almost every role in the middle of the park.
In addition, Gundogan can fill Julian Alvarez’s void due to his tendency to score crucial goals with late runs into the box. The 33-year-old is leaving Barcelona for free, with Fabrizio Romano revealing that he has already said his final goodbyes to his teammates. In addition, he will not receive compensation for foregoing his salary for the next two years.
The veteran German midfielder will sign a one-year contract at Manchester City, with the deal expiring on June 30, 2025. Fabrizio Romano has also revealed Pep Guardiola’s crucial role in bringing Gundogan back to Manchester City from Barcelona, with the former Barcelona manager pushing the hardest for the free transfer.
