According to 90min, Barcelona and Manchester City captain Ilkay Gundogan, whose contract expires this summer, are close to reaching an agreement.
Although sources told 90min that the club will not try to press the matter with Gundogan because of his exceptional service over the years, City has not given up hope that the 32-year-old will prolong his stay at the defending Premier League champions.
While 90min reported in October on Bayern Munich's long-standing interest in the German, who previously played for their Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund, Gundogan's representatives have been in talks with Barcelona for a number of months. His team has also spoken with Paris Saint-Germain.
Pep Guardiola, the manager of City, confirmed in February that Gundogan "can do whatever he wants" after the player scored twice against Aston Villa on the final day of the 2021–2022 Premier League season, giving the Citizens an incredible, title-winning three points.
The Spaniard further implied that he wanted his captain to stay with the team by saying that Gundogan "has the paradise already" and that "he knows fully my feeling about him."
Although fresh discussions with Barcelona have not yet resulted in a formal agreement, 90min knows that the Catalan giants are close to signing Gundogan.
Gundogan's seven-year relationship with Manchester City, during which time he won four Premier League championships and seven domestic cup tournaments, would come to an end if he moved to Camp Nou this summer. He has played nearly 300 games for the team across all competitions, scoring some significant goals along the way while operating as a box-to-box midfielder.
After two straight early exits from the Champions League, Barcelona is looking to reposition themselves as a force in the competition. Gundogan's potential arrival at Barcelona would improve the depth of Xavi's soon-to-be crowned La Liga champions.
Barcelona's financial difficulties are well known, so the chance to add a player of Gundogan's caliber on a free transfer is undoubtedly one that appeals. For the same reasons, the club also signed similar deals for Franck Kessie, Andreas Christensen, and Marcos Alonso this season.
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