Ilkay Gundogan transfer saga takes shock twist as new club enters race for Barcelona star

Former Manchester City captain Gundogan is being linked with a move away from Barcelona.

Ilkay Gundogan’s future looks increasingly likely to be away from Barcelona with another club reportedly entering the race to sign the former Manchester City star.

Gundogan left City last summer to join Barcelona on a free transfer after seven hugely successful years at the Etihad.

The 33-year-old won numerous trophies at City including five Premier League titles and the Champions League once.

But he failed to replicate that success in his debut season with Barcelona, with the Catalan club finishing distant runners-up to Real Madrid in the 2023/24 La Liga campaign.

Gundogan still has one year remaining on his current contract with Barcelona, with both parties holding an option to extend his stay by a further year.

But he is already being linked with a move away after just one season at the Nou Camp.

Speculation over his future comes after he was left out Hansi Flick’s first matchday squad of the new season, with the German absent from Barcelona’s 2-1 win over Valencia on Saturday.

The official line is that Gundogan was left out as precautionary measure after suffering a concussion against Monaco in pre-season last Monday.

But RAC1 reporter Marta Ramon claims Gundogan was intentionally left out of the squad to put pressure on the midfielder, who is one of the highest-paid players at the club, to leave this summer.

Meanwhile, Cadena SER journalists Santi Ovalle and Adria Albets (via Forbes) claim Gundogan has already agreed to leave Barcelona, citing anonymous sources at the club.

It is claimed that he has agreed to move on after speaking to Flick, with sporting director Deco and club president Joan Laporta now awaiting offers for the player.

On Sunday, Catalunya Radio’s ‘La TdT’ program reported that Gundogan had made contact with his former club City to sound out a potential return to the Etihad, while Turkish clubs Galatasaray and Fenerbahce have also been linked with the player.

Gundogan could leave Barcelona this summer (Image: Getty)

Spanish outlet SPORT, citing Saudi sources, now claim that Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr are considering a bid for Gundogan after being ‘offered’ the midfielder.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s club had already made contact with Barcelona this summer to explore potential deals for Raphinha or Clement Lenglet but without success, due to the players’ reported refusal to move to the Middle East.

But the Saudi club are now considering making a formal bid for Gundogan after being offered the midfielder.

The German, meanwhile, is said to have ‘other proposals’ on the table and will have until the end of this week to decide his future, with the Spanish transfer window closing on August 30.