Manchester City decide against renewing key Barcelona target – report

A recent report from MARCA has offered an update on the future of Ilkay Gundogan. The Manchester City superstar has been closely linked with a move to Barcelona, with his contract at Etihad expiring at the end of the season.

As per the report, Manchester City have ruled out Gundogan’s potential renewal, as the player is clearly open to a new adventure elsewhere. Although Pep Guardiola is still counting on his services, everything indicates the player will depart Etihad in the coming summer.

Barcelona, to that end, have emerged as the likely destination. They have held contacts with Gundogan’s agent and their pursuit of the German international are right on track.

However, the Catalans are yet to table an official contract offer for the German international. This comes against the backdrop of reports suggesting the player is looking for a hefty salary, due to his status as a free agent.

To be precise, Gundogan’s agents are looking for a figure of around €10 million, which makes him unaffordable for Barça under current circumstances. The club have strictly set a €6 million per season limit for every footballer and are only willing to exceed that for a star player such as Robert Lewandowski.

To put things into perspective, the club reportedly offered a salary of only €7 million during the latest proposal to star player Sergio Busquets. Therefore, Gundogan must settle into Barça’s new economic structure if he is to become a part of the Catalan team next season.

The Blaugrana must also be careful about the interest from other Premier League clubs, who are in a position to afford the German’s salary. Hence, it promises to be a crucial summer ahead, not just for Gundogan, but for Barça as well.