Reports linking Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan to Barcelona have been picking up steam of late. The 32-year-old is in the final few months of his contract at the Etihad Stadium and could be on his way out as a free agent in the summer.
Barcelona, who are on the lookout for bargains in the market, have positioned themselves as a possible destination for the German international.
Recent reports had suggested that manager Xavi Hernandez had already spoken to Gundogan about a potential move to Spotify Camp Nou at the end of the ongoing season.
Building on that, only yesterday it was reported that Gundogan was tempted by the idea of donning the Blaugrana colours.
Now, Que T’hi Jugues is reporting that Manchester City, for their part, already assume that Gundogan will not be renewing his contract with them and instead will join Barcelona.
The Premier League champions believe that their captain is very excited to play for the La Liga leaders.
A vastly experienced player, Gundogan has tasted a lot of success at the highest level and as is being suggested, should he join Barcelona, the team’s quality will undoubtedly be boosted.
While he would not be a long-term signing, the German would be able to add more quality and depth in midfield, providing manager Xavi to rotate his troops more freely.
On top of that, youngsters like Pedri, Gavi and Pablo Torre would stand to learn a lot from such an accomplished player.
The former Borussia Dortmund man would be arriving on a free transfer, but will likely have to reduce his wages considering Barcelona’s Financial Fair Play situation. Only time will tell if he does end up moving to Catalonia come summer, but as things stand, all signs are pointing towards such a move.
