Agent explains contract situation amid Barcelona rumours

Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has not got an agreement in place to join Barcelona as a free agent in summer, but his future beyond this season does remain ‘open’.

Gundogan, who is on course to play his 300th game for City in the next couple of months, is nearing the end of the four-year contract he signed in the summer of 2019.

The 32-year-old City captain is still an important player for Pep Guardiola, starting 31 times in all competition so far this season as the club pursue a third consecutive Premier League title and an elusive first ever Champions League triumph.

But with no new contract agreed, it has led to uncertainty about where he will play next season. There has been speculation in Spain about an agreement alredy with Barcelona, whose ongoing financial limitations continue to make the free agent market an important area to target.

The player’s agent and uncle, Ilhan Gundogan, has refuted that an agreement has been reached.

“There’s definitely no agreement yet with any club,” Ilhan said.

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“The focus of Ilkay in recent weeks was only on Manchester City and the birth of his son. Now he is in the final and crucial phase of the season and is completely focused on that.

“Where Ilkay plays next season is still open,” the agent added.

Despite not yet having an agreement with Barcelona, 90min understands that talks are taking place. City are aware and are not unhappy with the situation because are prepared to ultimately let Gundogan decide his next step. The club would be happy for him to stay but would equally wish him well after seven years of service should he choose now is the time to move on.

90min also revealed in October that Bayern Munich are keeping tabs on Gundogan’s situation.

Gundogan left his homeland to play in England in 2016, having made his name at Nurnberg and later becoming a star at Borussia Dortmund, for whom he scored in the 2013 Champions League final.

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On this edition of Talking Transfers, part of the 90min podcast network, Scott Saunders, Graeme Bailey & Toby Cudworth discuss Julian Nagelsmann’s future and links to the vacant Tottenham head coach role, Barcelona’s ambition to bring Lionel Messi ‘home’, Brighton teenager Evan Ferguson, Florian Wirtz, Kalvin Phillips and more! If you can’t see this embed, click here to listen to the podcast!