Atletico Madrid have reportedly joined the race to sign Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan on a free transfer next summer.
The 31-year-old has entered the final 12 months of his deal with the Premier League champions and could therefore leave as a free agent at the end of the 2022-23 season.
Should Gundogan not agree to fresh terms at the Etihad in the next couple of months, he will be free to discuss a pre-contract agreement with foreign clubs in January.
A recent report claimed that Man City are now fearing that they will be waving goodbye to the Germany international for nothing at the end of the campaign, and he is not expected to be short of suitors.
Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Galatasaray have all been tipped to move for the experienced midfielder, although the Bavarian giants have supposedly distanced themselves from such rumours.
© Reuters
Now, The Sun claims that Atletico have joined the ever-growing list of clubs interested in Gundogan, with Diego Simeone targeting free transfers in the wake of their Champions League exit.
Atletico finished dead last in Group B after taking just five points from their six games, with Club Brugge and Porto making it to the last 16 while Bayer Leverkusen dropped down to the Europa League.
With that poor European finish leading to a significant hit on Atletico's finances, a move for the soon-to-be free agent could be an attractive cut-price option for the La Liga giants.
Gundogan has remained an important player for Man City despite his contract situation, scoring two goals and setting up one more in 17 appearances as Pep Guardiola's captain.
Man City brought in Kalvin Phillips to increase competition in the engine room over the summer, but with the England international missing a good chunk of the season with a shoulder injury, Gundogan had taken advantage to start eight Premier League matches.
© Reuters
The English champions are not said to be opposed to handing Gundogan a new contract, but they are expected to try to sign a new midfielder regardless of whether the ex-Borussia Dortmund man stays.
Earlier this year, Gundogan hinted to Kicker that he wanted to remain in Manchester for a few more years, saying: "We will sit down together in due course and exchange our ideas and plans, and then we will see what comes out of it.
"Football-wise, there is certainly still no better address than Manchester City under Pep Guardiola, and I think that will hardly change in the next few years.
"Of course, I would have liked to play a little longer in one or two important games over the last few months. That's not a secret. I am a player who always wants to play."
Gundogan has amassed a total of 51 goals and 34 assists in 270 matches for Man City since becoming Guardiola's first signing in 2016, and he has won four Premier League titles, four EFL Cups, one FA Cup and two Community Shields at the Etihad.
Ben Knapton
