Barcelona close to Ilkay Gundogan deal as Man City contract nears expiry

Barcelona are close to agreeing a deal with Manchester City captain Ilkay Gundogan, who is out of contract this summer, 90min understands.

City have not given up hope that the 32-year-old will extend his stay at the reigning Premier League champions, but sources have confirmed to 90min that the club will not look to force the issue with Gundogan because of his outstanding service over the years.

Gundogan’s representatives have been talking to Barcelona for a number of months, while 90min reported in October on Bayern Munich’s longstanding interest in the German, who previously played for their Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund. Paris Saint-Germain have also been in contact with his team.

City manager Pep Guardiola acknowledged in February that Gundogan “can do whatever he wants” after scoring twice on the final day of the 2021/22 Premier League season – goals that earned the Citizens a breathtaking, title-winning three points against Aston Villa.

The Spaniard also said that Gundogan “has the paradise already” and that “he knows exactly my opinion about him”, strongly hinting that he’d like his captain to remain at the club.

But 90min understands that although further talks with Barcelona have not yet yielded a formal agreement, the Catalan giants are closing in on a deal for Gundogan.

A move to Camp Nou this summer would end Gundogan’s seven-year association with Manchester City, which has seen him win four Premier League titles and seven domestic cup competitions. He has played close to 300 games in all competitions for the club, scoring some momentous goals over the years while playing as a box-to-box midfielder.

Gundogan’s potential arrival at Barcelona would boost the depth of Xavi’s soon-to-be crowned La Liga champions, with the club looking to reposition themselves as a force in the Champions League after back-to-back early exits in the competition.

Barcelona’s financial troubles are well documented, so the opportunity to sign a player of Gundogan’s calibre on a free transfer is inevitably one that appeals – the club concluded similar deals for Franck Kessie, Andreas Christensen and Marcos Alonso for the same reasons over the course of this season.

The Catalan giants also hope to persuade Lionel Messi to complete a fairytale return to the club, two years after he departed for Paris Saint-Germain because of the same financial issues that continue to plague the club.