Aston Lukoye
- Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan is being pursued by Barcelona, with the Catalan club said to be confident of securing his signature, according to sources.
The German international is currently in the final year of his contract with City and has yet to commit to a new deal, although manager Pep Guardiola is hopeful he will stay at the Etihad Stadium.
Barcelona have been long-term admirers of Gundogan and is reportedly keen to add him to their squad for the upcoming season.
Gundogan began his career at VfL Bochum’s youth academy before moving to 1. FC Nürnberg and then Borussia Dortmund, where he won the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal in his first season.
In 2016, Gundogan joined Manchester City for a reported transfer fee of £21 million and has since helped the club win the Premier League in 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022, the EFL Cup in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021, and the FA Cup in 2019.
He has also played for Germany at various levels and has been included in the country’s squads for UEFA Euro 2012, the 2018 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2020, and the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
While Manchester City would like to keep Gundogan, Barcelona’s interest may prove too tempting for the 32-year-old midfielder.
Should he sign with the Catalan giants, Gundogan would add further depth to their already impressive midfield, which includes the likes of Sergio Busquets, Frenkie de Jong, and Pedri.
