FC Barcelona have been monitoring and targeting German international and current Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan for quite some time. Now, as the player nears the end of his contract with the Blues of Manchester, his manager gave his own two cents on the idea of the player leaving.
Coached currently by former FC Barcelona manager, Pep Guardiola, the manager had the following to say regarding his star midfielder:
“I think I know my opinion about it, it’s fine. With what Ilkay did against Aston Villa (on the last day of) last season, he can do whatever he wants, he’s already earned heaven,” before adding that “…so you know exactly my opinion of him. The club knows it and it is a question for him and his agent.”
Given Guardiola’s already sound code of ethics, he has done so with previous star players as well. Once they seemingly want to join another side, the manager holds no extra obstacles in their path apart from an agreement between both clubs on a possible transfer fee or dealing.
However, in this case, the only possible obstacles that exist for FC Barcelona in acquiring the services of the German are two: a possible renewal with Manchester City or Bayern Munich, who are also interested in the player’s services.
The FC Barcelona target was Pep Guardiola’s first signing for Manchester City back in 2016, the 32-year-old has since gone on to make 300 appearances for the English side and remains arguably one of the key cogs in City’s tactics.
Should FC Barcelona manage to persuade the veteran midfielder to join, they would be doing some particularly shrewd business in acquiring the services of such a talent on a payment as little as zero in terms of transfer fees.