İlkay Gündoğan has unexpectedly burst into the centre of negotiations in the final stretch of the transfer market, after requesting to leave FC Barcelona. Despite having arrived just a year ago as one of the Catalan team’s star signings, the German midfielder seems to be rethinking his future at the Camp Nou, driven by a series of factors both sporting and economic.
The 33-year-old German midfielder has stood out since his arrival as a key player for Barça, being the most used player in the previous season with 51 games played and 4,180 minutes accumulated. In addition, his statistics reflect his impact: 5 goals and 14 assists. However, despite this prominence, Gündogan has begun to feel doubts about his role in the team, especially after the arrival of Dani Olmo, a signing that has generated uncertainty regarding his participation in the starting eleven. Olmo, who stood out in the last European Championship, is a midfielder who performs better in the same position where Gündogan has been most effective.
This overbooking in the creative zone has generated discomfort in Gündogan, who fears that, as the season progresses, his participation in the team will be reduced. Pedri, Fermín, and the emerging Gavi are other young talents competing for minutes in midfield, which could relegate the former Manchester City player to a more secondary role.
But it is not only sporting issues that have influenced his request to leave. FC Barcelona is facing serious financial problems and needs to reduce its wage bill in order to sign new signings, such as the aforementioned Olmo. Gündogan, who has one of the highest salaries in the squad, has become a natural candidate to facilitate this financial relief. From the Barça offices, although he is not openly pushed towards the exit door, the idea of getting rid of his high salary is well received. For his part, Gündogan does not want to be an obstacle for the club and would be willing to negotiate a cordial exit that benefits both parties.
Despite reports suggesting that the German has asked to leave, several reports claim that the reality is more nuanced. According to journalist Santi Giménez, Gündogan has not expressly stated his desire to leave the club, but rather the pressure has come more from within Barça, who have leaked this intention to the media in order to create a favourable climate for his departure. The player, however, feels “very comfortable” in Barcelona, but is willing to explore options if his role in the team is threatened.
Gündogan’s future is still undefined, but several teams have shown interest in his services. One of the most attractive destinations would be a return to Borussia Dortmund, the club where he excelled before his successful spell at Manchester City. The emotional factor plays an important role in this possibility, as Gündogan has a special affection for the German club.
Meanwhile, the most exorbitant financial proposals come from Saudi Arabia, where clubs such as Al-Nassr and Al-Ittihad are said to be willing to offer him a multi-million euro contract, following the trend of attracting European stars to the Arab league. In addition, Galatasaray has also expressed interest, appealing to the sentimental component of Gündogan’s Ottoman roots. The Turkish team is said to be willing to make a considerable effort to sign the midfielder, provided he obtains a free transfer from Barcelona.
On the other hand, there has been speculation about a possible return to Manchester City, where Gündogan could be reunited with Pep Guardiola, a manager with whom he has a close relationship and who has expressed on several occasions how much he misses him in his tactical scheme. However, this option seems less likely due to the salary demands and the player’s age.
Despite the uncertainty, Gündogan has shown professionalism and commitment to FC Barcelona at all times. In his last message on social media, he expressed his joy at the team’s victory against Valencia, making it clear that, as long as he continues to wear the Blaugrana shirt, he will give his all for the club. The outcome of this story could be resolved in a matter of days, with a friendly exit on the horizon or, on the contrary, with one last “dance” for Gündogan at Barça before closing a short, but significant, stage in his career.
With August 30 as the deadline, the next few hours will be decisive in defining the future of the German international. In the meantime, Gündogan is still waiting to make the decision that best suits his personal and professional ambitions.
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