Barcelona are reportedly interested in signing Ilkay Gundogan in January.
The Manchester City captain is out of contract at the end of the current campaign, with the long-term future of the German midfielder still unclear.
Gundogan, who was Pep Guardiola's first signing at the Etihad Stadium, has made over 270 appearances for the club since his transfer from Borussia Dortmund in 2016.
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The 32 year-old has won 11 trophies, including four Premier League titles with City, playing a key role in the Blues' title victory last season.
Gundogan came off the bench and scored twice against Aston Villa in May, as the Sky Blues dramatically retained their Premier League crown with a 3-2 comeback victory.
Mike Keegan claimed that Gundogan was 'set to leave' the club in the summer, but the German midfielder remained in East Manchester and became first-team captain following the departure of Fernandinho.
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The German is contracted with the Premier League Champions until 2023, and has remained tight-lipped on his future so far.
Speaking about his contract situation in a recent interview, Gundogan said: “I’m pretty relaxed. The summer of 2023 still feels so far away. I’m not really worried. It’s not even clear what’s going to happen to our coach. His contract only runs until 2023 and nobody knows how he plans.
“I’ve always made my [career] decisions dependent on who the coach is [at a club] - that’s the most important thing for a footballer, that the coach values you but can also challenge and encourage you. That hasn’t changed for me to this day.
“I feel very comfortable in Manchester and I’m very satisfied. I have a lot to thank Man City for and have experienced a lot of great moments. I can basically imagine staying for a few more years."
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Sensationally, La Liga side Barcelona are reportedly interested in signing Gundogan in January.
Sport Witness have relayed a report from Mundo Deportivo claiming that the 32 year-old is a "January objective" for the Catalan club.
Barcelona reportedly have some hope of signing the German due to his contract situation.
Gundogan has been linked with the Spanish side in the past, and according to journalist Florian Plettenberg, the La Liga giants are "highly interested" in the Blues midfielder.
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Bernardo Silva had been heavily linked with a possible move to the Camp Nou last summer, with several City stars having moved to Barcelona in the past two years.
It is extremely unlikely that the Blues would sanction a move for Gundogan in January, although the German would be able to sign a pre-contract agreement with Barcelona for the 2023/24 campaign.
Barcelona failed to progress to the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League, with Xavi's side facing a Europa League play-off tie with Manchester United in the new year.
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Ilkay Gundogan featured against Barcelona in a charity friendly for City in August, when Guardiola's side drew 3-3 at the Camp Nou.
Topics: Manchester City, Manchester City Transfer News & Rumours, Ilkay Gundogan, Barcelona
Harry Winters