Manchester City are interested in bringing back their former club captain Ilkay Gündogan from Barcelona.
The German midfielder left City just over a year ago but wants to leave the Catalan club, opening up the opportunity of a return to the Premier League, although there is interest from Turkey and Saudi Arabia.
Gündogan spent seven seasons at the Etihad Stadium, winning five league titles and the Champions League, but departed for Catalonia in 2023 at the end of his contract. His final act under Pep Guardiola was to score a double in City’s defeat of Manchester United in the FA Cup final.
The 33-year-old German, who has two years to run on his current contract, did not feature for Barcelona in their opening match of the season against Valencia and looks poised to leave despite the head coach, Hansi Flick, insisting he has a future at the club. “I appreciate what kind of player he is and what he is like as a person,” Flick said of his compatriot.
“I’ve talked to him a lot, but it’s something between me and him, we have a good relationship. I know him well. I have the feeling that he will stay.”
City are looking to bolster their squad before the end of the window following the sale of Julián Álvarez and Oscar Bobb’s leg fracture, making Gündogan coming back an ideal solution. Guardiola has admitted to being open to the prospect of acquiring a central midfielder to help alleviate the burden on Rodri. Although often a No 8 when at City, Gündogan was able to play as a defensive midfielder, offering the versatility Guardiola craves.
During his one season in Spain, Gündogan helped Barcelona to finish second, 10 points behind Real Madrid, and reach the Champions League quarter-finals, where they lost against Paris Saint-Germain. Financial difficulties at the club mean the high-earning Gündogan’s departure would alleviate pressure on the wage bill.
Gündogan announced on Monday his retirement from international football after captaining Germany to the quarter-finals of their home European Championship this summer.
City have enjoyed a positive relationship with Barcelona in recent years, striking deals for Eric García in 2021 and Ferran Torres in 2022 while also allowing João Cancelo to spend last season on loan at the club.
