Manchester City’s captain Ilkay Gundogan will leave the club after his contract expires at the end of the month. According to soccer insider Fabrizio Romano, Gundogan rejected City’s extension offer and will sign with reigning La Liga champions Barcelona.
Gundogan will reportedly receive a two-year deal until June 2025. The agreement also has the option to extend his stay with Barca for another year.
Manchester City was interested in keeping Gundogan at Etihad Stadium but was not willing to offer him more than a one-year deal. Their offer was also financially weaker than the one Barca put on the table. There were several other teams interested in the 32-year-old player, including Premier League side Arsenal and clubs from Saudi Arabia.
Gundogan will leave Manchester City after captaining the club through a historic 2022-23 season. City became the first English club since Manchester United and 1998–99 to complete a treble, winning Premier League, UEFA Champions League, and FA Cup.
Ilkay Gundogan was the first signing Pep Guardiola made when he took over the club in 2016. Since then, Gundogan has made 304 appearances for City in all competitions, scoring 44 goals and adding 17 assists. He helped the club win 14 trophies, including five Premier League titles.
