Why Is Barcelona Ready to Part Ways with Gundogan?
After just one season, Barcelona is reportedly considering selling Ilkay Gundogan to address their financial difficulties and make room for players who better align with the philosophy of new head coach Hansi Flick.
Barcelona has initiated talks with Al Nassr regarding a potential transfer of Gundogan and is open to offers from other clubs for the 33-year-old German midfielder.
As with many recent departures from Barcelona, financial constraints are the primary reason behind the club’s willingness to part with Gundogan after only one season. The German midfielder currently earns $22.2 million per season, which accounts for over 5% of the club’s total wage budget. Barcelona has been facing financial challenges for several seasons and was fined $565,000 last year for breaching UEFA regulations. The Catalan club is now in a “desperate situation,” needing to raise funds to register new signings, including Euro 2024 champion Dani Olmo, who was acquired from RB Leipzig for $60 million.
Selling Gundogan could immediately free up $15.5 million in the club’s operating budget, allowing Barcelona to reinvest 70% of this amount into new signings.
Gundogan joined Barcelona in the summer of 2023 on a free transfer after declining to renew his contract with Manchester City. He played a key role in the team, appearing in 36 La Liga matches last season and missing just one game due to suspension. Across all competitions, he scored five goals and provided 14 assists in 51 appearances.
Initially, Gundogan did not plan to leave this summer, but he later changed his mind. The 33-year-old had previously revealed that his move to Barcelona was influenced by coach Xavi, who has since been replaced by German coach Hansi Flick. Flick, aiming to make his mark on the team, does not consider Gundogan a key player. The two had a private meeting on August 16, during which Flick could not guarantee Gundogan a regular starting position this season.
Barcelona’s current strategy also prioritizes homegrown talents from the famed La Masia academy, such as Gavi, Pedri, and Fermin Lopez. Additionally, the team already boasts stars like Frenkie de Jong. Even when some of these players were unavailable, Flick opted to start 20-year-old Marc Casado and 17-year-old Marc Bernal in the recent 2-1 win over Valencia in La Liga’s opening round.
Under Xavi, Gundogan was often deployed as an attacking midfielder. However, Flick’s plans do not involve positioning the 33-year-old behind veteran striker Robert Lewandowski, as the coach prefers a high-pressing style. New signing Dani Olmo is seen as a better fit for this role than Gundogan.
Gundogan was excluded from the squad for the La Liga opener last weekend, but Flick attributed his absence to an injury and expressed hope that the midfielder would stay with Barcelona. “I spoke with Gundogan, but it was a private conversation, and I won’t disclose the details,” the 59-year-old German coach said.
Despite Flick’s statements, Barcelona continues to negotiate with Al Nassr about a potential transfer for Gundogan. In 2022, Barcelona also tried to sell Frenkie de Jong to Manchester United due to financial difficulties, but the Dutch midfielder refused to leave, as United did not qualify for the Champions League. Unlike de Jong, Gundogan may have a different perspective. The midfielder reportedly has little interest in moving to Saudi Arabia to play alongside Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr at this stage of his career. However, he has yet to finalize his future.
Gundogan is currently prioritizing a potential reunion with Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. The German midfielder spent seven years at the Etihad Stadium, scoring 60 goals and providing 40 assists, while winning five Premier League titles, two FA Cups, four League Cups, two Community Shields, and one Champions League title.
Guardiola is reportedly “ready” to welcome Gundogan back, especially after young midfielder Oscar Bobb suffered a long-term injury. This summer, City also signed 20-year-old Brazilian winger Savinho from Girona for $38 million.
From the point of view Diario Sport, coach Jose Mourinho is also keen on bringing Gundogan to Fenerbahce and “will do everything possible to secure the deal.” Gundogan, whose parents are Turkish, is proud of his heritage and met with Turkish President Recep Erdogan in 2018.
