Three reasons why Manchester City veteran would be a good signing for Barcelona – report

FC Barcelona look all set to go after Ilkay Gundogan in the summer. The Manchester City star has emerged as one of the top targets for the club as they look to shore up their options in the middle of the park.

A recent report from Javi Miguel of AS suggests that Xavi has even personally met Gundogan and has opened the door for the German international to join the club at the end of the season.

Barcelona have made the initial steps in their bid to sign Gundogan and are expected to do everything they can in order to bring the midfielder to Camp Nou next season.

The report from AS has also listed three reasons Gundogan is seen as an ideal signing for Barcelona.

The primary reason, of course, is the player’s contract situation. With Gundogan set to become a free agent in the summer, he could prove to be an ideal cost-effective option for Barça, who are going through an economic crisis and may not have the capacity to spend much.

Gundogan, in fact, is prepared to settle for a lower wage than what he currently earns at Manchester City.

Another reason is that the former Borussia Dortmund star would bring more depth to the team, allowing Xavi Hernandez to rest others such as Sergio Busquets, provided the veteran renews his contract at Camp Nou.

In addition, Gundogan’s technical and tactical prowess should offer Xavi more flexibility, especially in a four-man midfield system involving Pedri, Busquets, Gavi and him. These four would provide an ideal combination of experience and youth, thus adding more balance to the team.

However, given Barça’s delicate financial situation, it remains to be seen whether the Catalans are allowed to sign Gundogan in the coming summer without any hiccups. A lot may depend on how they manage to offload their unwanted stars.