Barcelona and Ilkay Gundogan hold transfer preference amid Manchester City interest | OneFootball

Both Ilkay Gundogan and FC Barcelona hold a preference when it comes to the player’s next steps in the game this summer, amid ongoing interest from Manchester City.

The German midfielder – who also announced his retirement from international football this week – is largely being forced out of the La Liga club this summer due to the side’s intentions to save on the player’s salary amid an ongoing and precarious financial situation.

Barcelona fended away widespread competition from across the European game by signing European Championships star and RB Leipzig playmaker Dani Olmo in a €60 million agreement, but have so far been unable to register the 26-year-old with La Liga.

As such, the club have held frank conversations with Gundogan over whether he would be open to leaving the football club, and wanting not to cause issue, the 33-year-old has accepted his position and opened himself up to fresh opportunities.

But that could now lead the player back to familiar territory and back to the very top of European club football, with Manchester City intensifying their pursuit of the midfielder’s signature with a view towards completing an agreement this week.

Reporting for El Chiringuito, journalist Jose Alvarez has claimed that both FC Barcelona and Ilkay Gundogan himself prefer a move to Manchester City for the German midfielder this summer.

On the subject of the player’s potential options and interested parties, Alvarez revealed, “Right now they are Manchester City, Galatasaray, and some Saudi teams.

“Both Barça and (Ilkay) Gundogan would prefer City, because obviously they already know him, he wants to continue with a winning project, and Barça because they are interested in (Joao) Cancelo, therefore, let’s see if it can be done.”

Alvarez continued, “There is something with the operation. Barça plans to make two moves, that of Cancelo and that of another player on the wing and it would be a viable option, although they have to talk about it.”

Manchester City have been on the hunt for a new midfield recruit for the most part of the summer, having identified Newcastle United’s Bruno Guimaraes as their number one target but failing to come close to his club’s valuation.

There have also been links to the likes of Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze, however the England international’s somewhat attractive £60 million release clause has expired meaning negotiations would have to take place directly with his club.

Manchester City are still expected to continue with their summer transfer activity beyond any potential signing of Ilkay Gundogan, with the club working on a shortlist of striker arrivals following the exit of Julian Alvarez to Atletico Madrid earlier this month.