The progress of Ilkay Gundogan’s transfer from Barcelona is moving faster than expected, as the German star recently skipped training with his teammates.
Gundogan wishes to return to Manchester City after Barcelona informed him that they are unable to keep the 33-year-old midfielder. The Catalan giants admit that they need to offload Gundogan to comply with spending regulations and make room for new signing Dani Olmo.
According to Capology, Gundogan is currently earning €360,000 per week at Barcelona—a significant amount. Therefore, the Camp Nou side needs to offload the former Man City star’s salary to register Olmo with La Liga.
Spanish media report that Gundogan did not attend the most recent training session on Tuesday (August 20) despite being fully fit. This indicates that Gundogan is getting closer to leaving Camp Nou after just one season. Meanwhile, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano emphasized that Barcelona has decided to let Gundogan leave on a free transfer in the summer of 2024. Manchester City, the German midfielder’s former club, is also in negotiations with Gundogan’s agent to facilitate a reunion.
Previously, coach Pep Guardiola expressed his willingness to welcome Gundogan back to the Etihad as Man City needs more midfield options for a long season. Gundogan is on his way out of Barcelona, with Manchester City being the most likely destination.