Manchester City: Ilkay Gundogan eyed by Barcelona

James Thompson 2 December 2022, 12:35 2 minutes read

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Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Group E - Spain v Germany - Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor, Qatar - November 27, 2022 Germany's Ilkay Gundogan looks dejected after Spain's first goal REUTERS/Molly Darlington

Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan is reportedly being eyed for a transfer by Barcelona manager Xavi.

The Lowdown: Gundogan’s contract situation

As things stand, the German’s contract at the Etihad Stadium is set to expire at the end of the current season.

Across 273 appearances for the Premier League champions, the 32-year-old – who represented his country during their group stage exit from the World Cup in Qatar – has scored 51 goals, provided 35 assists and won numerous domestic trophies.

Now that the midfielder will be turning his attention back to club football in the coming weeks, it appears that he has found himself on the radar of one of Europe’s most successful clubs.

The Latest: Xavi eyeing Gundogan for Barcelona

According to recent reports from Spanish media outlet Sport (via Sport Witness), Barcelona manager Xavi sees Gundogan as his number one choice to replace Sergio Busquets once the latter’s contract at the La Liga club expires in the summer.

The report adds that Pep Guardiola wants to keep hold of the Germany midfielder and see the club offer him a new one-year deal, but would not stand in Gundogan’s way if he wants to leave City at the end of the season.

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The Verdict: Man City must offer Gundogan a new deal

This season has seen the £140k-per-week midfielder score two goals, provide two assists and show why he is such an important player for City across his 12 Premier League appearances.

Specifically, only Kevin De Bruyne (45) has made more key passes than Gundogan (23), who also only has three City players above him with a higher combined total of tackles and interceptions (19).

Should City offer Gundogan a new deal?

Yes

No

With an overall performance rating of 7.1/10 from WhoScored, only six City players score higher, further highlighting how impressive the 32-year-old – who has been hailed as a “beautiful” player in the past by Gary Lineker – has been for the English champions.

Taking all of that into account, we feel that City should definitely offer Gundogan a new deal and do all that they can to try and convince him to continue his journey with the club.