Ilkay Gundogan has one year remaining on his deal at Manchester City, but the 31-year-old could be on his way out this summer as there’s been no progress extending his contract. Gundogan was a regular under Pep Guardiola and had a decent output for goals, but his latest quotes to Kicker (h/t Sport Witness) suggest he’s uncertain over his squad role.
The German international recently revealed that he planned talks with the club over his future and is likely to make a demand for more playing time. Gundogan said via Fussball Transfers: “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.”
The 31-year-old made 43 appearances in all competitions, scoring 10 goals with six assists. Gundogan started in 32 games across the board, 20 of which came in the Premier League, so he was on the bench or out of the matchday squad in 47% of City’s top-flight outings.
And with the German playmaker being a substitute in both Champions League semi-final outings with Real Madrid, racking up just 48 minutes from the bench, it’s easy to see why he’s unhappy. But could he be a regular at a club better than City? It’s unlikely, so that should aid Guardiola in his pursuit to keep Gundogan.
He’s far too valuable to be sold and too talented to be easily replaced. Gundogan has had a hand in 48 goals from the last two seasons, so there aren’t attainable prolific midfielders on his level.
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