With every passing minute, Ilkay Gundogan looks to have on foot outside of Barcelona and his future seems to lie elsewhere. It has been quite a sudden turn of events in terms of the German maestro’s future at the club.
The 33-year-old was one the best players for Barcelona last season. In a struggling team under Xavi Hernandez, the German along with Lamine Yamal pulled all the strings in attack with some help from Raphinha.
Gundogan made a huge effort to come to Barcelona last summer. He was the captain of arguably the most successful football team in the world and left all that to come and join Xavi and be a part of the project.
Just one season later though, he seems set to leave the club. As per SPORT, Gundogan’s return to Manchester City on a free transfer is imminent and could be completed in the coming days, with Pep Guardiola giving the green light.
Barcelona are ready to facilitate the veteran midfielder’s departure. His departure is seen as a positive sign by the sporting management to free up some space on the wage bill. Having just retired from international football, his next club should get the best out of a well-rested Gundogan.
Fans will certainly not be happy to see the back of Gundogan especially with the likes of Clement Lenglet still at the club. However, the club thinks this decision needs to be made to balance out our financial constraints with the need for sporting success.
Having signed Dani Olmo, Barcelona won’t feel as much of a pinch on the field but off it, they will miss Gundo’s leadership solely. Regardless, desperate times require desperate measures and we can thank the German for his incredible season at the club and move on with a heavy heart.
