Ilkay Gundogan has an uncertain future at Manchester City as his contract expires in 2023 and he’s not close to signing a new deal. Talks with the 32-year-old began in 2021 and haven’t progressed, so there’s a genuine fear that he could leave when the campaign comes to a close.
Wayne Veysey of Football Insider says City are worried Gundogan ‘will snub their contract offer’ to leave on a free transfer next summer. The German international has interest from Juventus and Barcelona, so he won’t be short of offers if he does leave.
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Gundogan joined City from Borussia Dortmund in 2016 and has gone on to make 269 appearances in all competitions, scoring 51 goals with 34 assists. He’s won four Premier League titles, four League Cups and one FA Cup in his six years at the Etihad, but his role in the squad is slowly transitioning.
The 32-year-old has made 16/18 appearances in all competitions this season (88.88%), starting 12 times (66.66%) and amassing 1087 minutes of playing time from a possible 1620 (67%), so he’s having a diminishing impact in the first-team.
City want to keep Gundogan and the midfielder said in the past that he could stay beyond 2023 if he’s playing regularly, but he is in the eve of his career and can sign a pre-contract deal with non-English clubs in January.
City are eyeing a long-term replacement in Jude Bellingham, so Gundogan might not command as much of a starting place next season if he was signed.
The 32-year-old is already behind Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva in the pecking order, so could this be his last season in Manchester?
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