Barcelona have reportedly stepped up their interest in Manchester City captain Ilkay Gundogan after being impressed by his performance against Bayern Munich on Tuesday.
The German international is set to become a free agent this summer after Pep Guardiola opted against extending his current contract, which is set to expire at the end of the season.
Barca boss Xavi will have limited funds to spend due to the LaLiga club’s ongoing financial issues, so Gundogan could potentially be an ideal signing for them.
According to a report from Spanish outlet Sport, the Catalans were greatly impressed by the 32-year-old as City demolished Bayern Munich 3-0 at the Etihad.
Gundogan put in a memorable performance playing alongside Kevin de Bruyne in an attacking-midfield pivot, showing that while he is past his prime, he can still have a big impact at the highest level.
The report adds that the midfielder could demand a wage of £165,000 per week, though, so he would become one of Barca’s highest earners if he does make a switch to the Camp Nou.
Since joining the Cityzens in 2016, the German maestro has featured 293 times across all competitions, scoring 54 goals and making 38 assists in the process.
Gundogan has also played a vital role in the Manchester club’s recent success, helping his team to four Premier League titles, an FA Cup and four League Cups – and he could still potentially add an illusive Champions League victory to his list of accolades this season.
Understandably, Guardiola has huge admiration for Gundogan – and has admitted that he will be sad to see him go.
“Gundogan was the first player we signed when I became a manager [at City in 2016]. It is a pleasure to work with people like Ilkay,” Guardiola said last year.
“I will never forget him. For me personally and for the team, he is an incredible football player, always grounded.
“He likes to be second position and always you can rely on him 100%. He gave us the Premier League. He can play holding midfielder and attacking midfielder. He is so smart, can talk about the world.
“That is why he was voted by his mates as captain. We are incredibly happy with the decision we made to have him.
“In the first year he had an ACL injury but from the second season when we started winning the titles, he was there. It’s a joy to have these human beings with you.”
Gundogan has proved this season that he remains a fantastic player, so it will be interesting to see if he does end up in a…
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