Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan is reportedly on his way to Barcelona on a free transfer. The treble winners will be losing the 32-year-old captain when his City contract expires. However, Gundogan has already been offered a three-year contract by Barcelona and is expected to complete his move to the Spanish champions by the end of June.
Kovacic’s deal worth £30 million will be a perfect response to compensate for Gundogan’s loss. Although City was willing to give their captain a new one-year contract with the option of an additional 12 months, Gundogan’s move to the Camp Nou seems more feasible than City’s offer.
During his tenure with Manchester City, Gundogan’s leadership and knack for scoring vital goals played a crucial role in Pep Guardiola’s reign. In addition, he netted twice during the FA Cup final victory over Manchester United this season before Guardiola’s Premier League champions secured another victory in the Champions League against Inter Milan.
Ranked as the second English team to win all three major trophies in a single season, City fans will undoubtedly remember Gundogan as one of the understated touchstones of their golden era. The former Borussia Dortmund midfielder has won various titles, including five Premier League, two FA Cups, four League Cups and the Champions League during his seven years at City.
Guardiola was willing to keep Gundogan on the team, as the pair has a close relationship after living in the same luxury Manchester apartment for years. However, given Gundogan’s age, City’s decision to let him go was pragmatic.
