Manchester City have officially begun discussions with Barcelona regarding the possibility of re-signing Ilkay Gündoğan.[/b]
The German international midfielder departed the Premier League Champions a little over a year ago to join the Catalan giants in a high-profile move.
Recent reports indicate that Gündoğan, who has been notified by Barcelona that he is no longer a central figure in their future plans, has instructed his agents to explore potential new opportunities for him.
Despite receiving lucrative offers from clubs in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Galatasaray, Gündoğan appears to favor a return to Manchester City, where manager Pep Guardiola is reportedly enthusiastic about the prospect of reuniting with him.
Given Barcelona’s ongoing financial difficulties, the club might be willing to let the 33-year-old midfielder leave on a free transfer, a move that would allow them to save approximately €20 million in gross salary expenses.
Gündoğan was a crucial player for Barcelona in the previous season, making more appearances than any other player and recording a career-best 14 assists during that campaign.
However, under the management of Hansi Flick, the German captain is no longer viewed as a first-choice starter, especially with the emergence of other midfield talents such as Dani Olmo, Pedri, and Gavi, who have taken on more prominent roles in the squad.