Treble-winning Manchester City midfielder could make late exit to ‘top-level’ club this summer | OneFootball

Manchester City could yet bid farewell to legendary midfielder Ilkay Gundogan in the coming days, according to new reports from Germany.

Gundogan’s future has been the subject of speculation this summer, particularly following Manchester City’s business in midfield. The club have invested in strengthening Pep Guardiola’s options with the arrivals of Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki, and that drive has naturally raised questions about where the 34-year-old fits into the long-term picture.

The German international only signed a one-year extension earlier in the summer to remain at the club, with City having established an automatic 12-month extension based on appearances when they re-signed the player from Barcelona on a free transfer last summer.

However, while Gundogan remains a hugely respected figure in Pep Guardiola’s squad, reports over the last month have linked him with interest from abroad, with Galatasaray among those named as potential suitors.

That speculation came at a time when City were also open to player exits elsewhere. The likes of Jack Grealish, James McAtee, and Claudio Echeverri were simultaneously discussed internally as players whose futures could be reassessed, and deals have since materialised.

Ederson and Manuel Akanji continue to attract concrete approaches from Galatasaray, with talks ongoing with the Istanbul club, and against that backdrop, Ilkay Gundogan has now re-emerged as a potential late-window departure.

That is according to new information from Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, who reports that Gündogan is ‘one to watch’ between now and deadline day at the end of the month, with ongoing chances of the German midfielder leaving Manchester City ‘in the coming days’.

It is detailed that there are ‘numerous top-level enquiries’ from clubs ‘all over the world’ interested in the 34-year-old.

Should Gundogan depart, City would be losing a player whose legacy is already secured. As captain during the historic 2022/23 treble-winning campaign, he delivered decisive performances in the Premier League title run-in and the FA Cup final, etching his name into the club’s modern history.

Any exit now would be framed as a natural end to his City journey, rather than a sudden departure. From a tactical standpoint, his departure could accelerate Guardiola’s plans to build a younger, more dynamic midfield.

Reijnders and Nico Gonzalez are both seen as long-term options, while the continued development of Phil Foden, Rico Lewis, Oscar Bobb, and even the recovering Rodri and Mateo Kovacic could ensure Manchester City remain stocked with central options.

Much will now depend on whether one of the clubs making enquiries can tempt both City and Gundogan into agreeing a deal before the window closes. With Galatasaray and Saudi Arabian sides monitoring the situation, as well as possible interest from elsewhere in Europe, the coming days could prove decisive in shaping the final weeks of City’s transfer window.