Recent sources have indicated that Manchester City is actively exploring the possibility of signing Ilkay Gündogan, amid uncertainties surrounding his future at Barcelona. Interestingly, clubs from Saudi Arabia, including Al Nassr, are also showing interest in the midfielder. It has been suggested that Gündogan could be considering a departure from Barcelona after just one season. While Barcelona’s coach, Hansi Flick, is keen on retaining the 33-year-old midfielder, the club’s management seems open to the idea of letting him go if the right offer presents itself.
Gündogan, who had an impressive 51 appearances for Barcelona last season, still has two years remaining on the contract he signed when he joined the Catalan club on a free transfer from Manchester City last summer. The midfielder’s decision to leave City last summer was met with disappointment from the English club, especially after attempting to keep him by offering several contract extensions, all of which were turned down by Gündogan in favor of a move to Barcelona.
Manchester City, on the other hand, are considering their options for midfield reinforcements after allowing Kalvin Phillips to leave on a season-long loan deal to Ipswich Town. Additionally, the club is also looking at bringing in a new forward following the departure of Julián Álvarez to Atlético Madrid and the injury to Oscar Bobb, which is expected to keep him sidelined for over three months.
While the focus is on Gündogan’s potential move, there have also been speculations around Kyle Walker’s future at Manchester City. Despite interest from Al Hilal, City seems determined to keep hold of their captain. Walker, who was almost on the verge of joining Bayern Munich last year, signed a contract extension that ties him to City until 2026. Al Hilal’s interest in Walker seems to be part of their plan to make space for a new foreign player in their squad by offloading Renan Lodi. City, however, is reportedly uninterested in entertaining any offers for Walker so close to the transfer deadline.
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