Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan is set to leave the Etihad this summer, with his mind made up on a move to Barcelona, Football Insider report.
What’s the latest Man City news on Gundogan?
Gundogan, hailed as "magnificent" by Phil McNulty, has been on the books in Manchester since 2016 and has been a regular ever since arriving from Borussia Dortmund.
In total, the 32-year-old has made 293 appearances for the club, captaining the side on a number of occasions during the current campaign, although he didn’t feature in Saturday’s 3-1 Premier League win over Leicester City.
The midfielder has contributed to an impressive 92 goals in Sky Blue, however, he is out of contract in a matter of months, and an exit is on the cards.
Football Insider reporter Pete O’Rourke shared a story he’s heard from City regarding Gundogan in the last 48 hours. He stated that talks with the German over a new Etihad contract have made very little progress and that an exit on a free transfer seems inevitable, with the player making up his mind to join Barcelona.
The report adds how Pep Guardiola is a big fan of the midfielder and City in an ideal world, City do not want to lose his services, however, the club also do not want to stand in his way.
Will City need a replacement?
With Gundogan set to depart, Guardiola will be left with no out-and-out central midfielders in his side, with the rest of his options either holding or central midfielders, as per Transfermarkt.
Therefore, you’d like to think that the club will be in the market for a new central midfielder over the coming months, something club officials can be working on behind the scenes right now after hearing Gundogan’s decision, with Guardiola's full focus on a possible treble in the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup.
Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham has been earmarked as a potential replacement, and City are thought to be leading the likes of Real Madrid in the race for his services. A transfer could set City back a club-record fee of £130m+ for Bellingham, however, the teenager could well offer a long-term solution in midfield, possibly reuniting with former teammate Erling Haaland in the process.
