One of the main targets for FC Barcelona in the upcoming summer transfer window is to strengthen their midfield, especially as their veteran midfielder, Sergio Busquets is leaving the club.
A number of targets have been identified to strengthen this area, the most closely associated with the club being Ilkay Gundogan. The German international has been a part of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City side since 2016, and is one of the key parts of the club’s squad.
However, his contract at the club is running out, and the club and the player have not been able to reach an agreement for a renewal yet. It was reported that the number of years offered to the player has been one of the main areas of disagreement, with Manchester City offering only a one-year agreement, which is not acceptable for the player.
As the likelihood of his being a free agent this summer increased, he was approached by FC Barcelona for a move to Camp Nou. According to SPORT, the Catalans offered the player a three-year contract, and there were close contacts between the Catalans and the player’s agents for such a move.
However, the latest reports from English news outlet “The Sunday Times” now claim that Manchester City is open to give in to Gundogan’s demands, and offer him a three-year contract. The reports further suggest that Gundogan finds such a proposal from the English side irresistible, and would definitely prefer to remain at City if he is provided with a three-year contract, as opposed to joining Barcelona with the same number of years on offer.
Still, FC Barcelona like the player a lot, and the transfer market is yet to open officially. A lot can change in the coming months, and the player will remain a source of speculation till he publicly puts his signature on one of the contracts on offer.
