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Ilkay Gundogan 'to reject Barcelona move and sign new Manchester City deal'

Gundogan 'to reject Barcelona move and sign new Man City deal'
© Reuters
Ilkay Gundogan will reportedly turn down a summer transfer to Barcelona and sign a new two-year contract at Manchester City.

Ilkay Gundogan will reportedly turn down a summer transfer to Barcelona and sign a new contract at Manchester City.

Speculation over the 32-year-old's future at the Etihad Stadium has been rife for some time, with his current contract due to expire at the end of next month.

Gundogan has been a prominent figure in Pep Guardiola's side over the last seven seasons, contributing with 58 goals and 40 assists in 301 appearances across all competitions.

The German midfielder has won 12 trophies during his time at the Etihad Stadium, and he will be lifting his first as captain of the club on Sunday after Arsenal's defeat against Nottingham Forest on Saturday handed Man City the Premier League title for the third year in a row.

Talks between Gundogan and the Citizens over a contract extension were believed to have stalled in recent weeks, with the midfielder holding out for a deal longer than the one-year extension presented to him.

Manchester City's Ilkay Gundogan celebrates scoring their second goal on February 12, 2023© Reuters

Amidst speculation that Gundogan could leave the Etihad, Barcelona have been strongly linked with a move to sign the German on a free transfer and are said to be prepared to offer him a two-year deal.

The Catalan giants are understood to have held talks with Gundogan's representatives on several occasions in the hope of completing a deal to lure him to Camp Nou before the end of the month.

Mikel Arteta's Arsenal have also been credited with an interest, but according to The Times, Gundogan is now on the verge of committing his future to Man City.

The report adds that the Citizens have changed their stance on the midfielder's future and are now willing to offer him a two-year contract with the option of a further year.

Ilkay Gundogan celebrates scoring for Manchester City on August 13, 2022© Reuters

This news will provide a huge boost for City boss Guardiola, who has continuously expressed his desire to keep hold of his No. 8.

While City now look set to retain the services of Gundogan, speculation continues to swirl surrounding the future of fellow midfielder Bernardo Silva.

The 28-year-old is believed to be keen to seek pastures new heading into the prime years of his career and recently refused to rule out the prospect of leaving the Etihad this summer.

Barcelona are one club said to hold an interest in the playmaker, although they could face stern competition from Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain.

Bernardo has scored 55 goals and registered 58 assists in 303 appearances for Man City across all competitions since joining the club from Monaco in 2017, including a brace in the 4-0 Champions League semi-final second-leg win over Real Madrid last Wednesday.

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Written by
Oliver Thomas

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Manchester City chief executive Ferran Soriano pictured on February 12, 2023
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1Liverpool33247275314479
2Arsenal341813363293467
3Manchester CityMan City34187966432361
4Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest33186953391460
5Newcastle UnitedNewcastle331851062441859
6Chelsea33169858401857
7Aston Villa3416995449557
8Bournemouth3313101052401249
9Fulham33139114845348
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton33121295353048
11Brentford33137135650646
12Crystal Palace341112114347-445
13Everton33814113440-638
14Manchester UnitedMan Utd33108153846-838
15Wolverhampton WanderersWolves33115174861-1338
16Tottenham HotspurSpurs331141861511037
17West Ham UnitedWest Ham3399153755-1836
18Ipswich TownIpswich3349203371-3821
19Leicester CityLeicester3346232773-4618
20Southampton3325262478-5411


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