Barcelona 'confident' of landing Man City star this summer

Suraj Radia

• 18 Apr 2023 16:11 BST
• 2 min read

Barcelona are growing ‘increasingly confident’ of being able to sign Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan this summer despite the financial issues surrounding the La Liga side.

Gundogan is out of contract with City this summer and is yet to agree new terms on a deal, with the 32-year-old considering whether he would like to leave for a new challenge after six years in England.

Barcelona have been told by La Liga that they cannot register new players until they raise €200 million in player sales due to their ballooning wage bill but the Catalans appear unfazed by the threats.

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The Times claim that Barca executives held another round of talks with Gundogan’s representatives last week and there is a growing belief that the German will join them in the summer.

Barca are believed to have offered Gundogan a two-year contract with the option of a further year, which is worth more than the shorter deal City are putting forward.

Gundogan, however, is mindful of the troubles surrounding Barca and has yet to confirm whether he wishes to move to the club, with the midfielder also attracting interest from sides in Italy and across Europe.

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Gundogan was Pep Guardiola’s first signing at City and he has been an integral part of the club’s success since, making nearly 300 appearances in all competitions and scoring 54 goals.

The ex-Dortmund man has captained the club this season, while only three outfield players have played more minutes than Gundogan during the campaign.

However, City are expected to strengthen their midfield this summer, with Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham a top target, and the club will not stand in the way of Gundogan if he does prefer to move abroad.

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Barcelona, meanwhile, have already agreed to sign Inigo Martinez from Athletic Bilbao when his contract expires in the summer, while Lionel Messi is still expected to be heavily pursued for a return to the club despite issues over the affordability of his salary.