Ilkay Gündoğan’s Future Revealed: Is He Leaving Barcelona?

Ilkay Gündoğan’s future club has been revealed by the Spaniards: He will get along well with Jose Mourinho, but Galatasaray…

Ilkay Gündoğan, whose name has been linked with Fenerbahce, Galatasaray, and Manchester City, is now being mentioned in connection with Barcelona. Spanish journalists have shared exclusive updates with Spor Arena about the latest developments regarding the future of the 33-year-old Barcelona star.

After transferring from Manchester City to Barcelona at the start of last season, Ilkay Gündoğan made an impressive impact in his first year in La Liga. However, a surprising transfer rumor has emerged in the European media concerning the experienced midfielder.

There has been talk of Gündoğan possibly returning to his former club Manchester City, while it has been learned that Barça may be looking to solve some of their financial problems by parting ways with the player. Our colleagues who cover Barcelona have provided important insights into the potential departure of the 33-year-old midfielder.

SPANISH JOURNALISTS ON “ILKAY GÜNDOĞAN”:
Eduard Boada (Panenka):
“THE CURRENT FEELING IS THAT ILKAY WILL EVENTUALLY LEAVE”

As it stands, there’s talk of Ilkay Gündoğan possibly leaving Barcelona, with a return to Manchester City being the main discussion. No other clubs have been mentioned in the transfer speculation at the moment. The feeling right now is that Ilkay will eventually leave. Due to a head injury sustained in the Gamper Cup (FC Barcelona’s pre-season trophy), Ilkay hasn’t trained for the past few days as he’s recovering. Additionally, there have been rumors that he might leave to help Barcelona’s financial situation and that he wouldn’t want to cause the club any trouble. The current sentiment at Barcelona is that Ilkay will depart.

“ILKAY LEAVING WON’T BE THAT PAINFUL”

Head coach Hansi Flick has repeatedly said that Ilkay Gündoğan is a great player and that he trusts him. After the Valencia match last Saturday, Flick mentioned that he spoke with Ilkay and felt that he would stay. However, Ilkay Gündoğan is one of the highest-paid players at FC Barcelona, and his departure would provide some financial relief. It would also help the club register players like Dani Olmo for La Liga matches. Additionally, Barcelona’s midfield is currently in a period where there are too many players. Flick seems to want to give chances to players like Pedri, Fermín, Gavi, Olmo, Marc Casadó, and Marc Bernal. Therefore, Ilkay Gündoğan’s departure wouldn’t be so painful.

“HE’LL GET ALONG WELL WITH MOURINHO, BUT GALATASARAY…”

Ilkay Gündoğan was one of the best players for Barcelona and in La Liga last year, and his impact will be immediately noticed wherever he goes. Ilkay controls the midfield in a way that no one else can. When playing close to the defenders, he acts as an insurance policy, and when pushing forward, he’s extremely effective. I think he’ll get along well with Mourinho at Fenerbahçe, but he’d also be a great addition for Galatasaray. Whoever signs him will be getting one of the best midfielders in Europe right now.

Jordi Cardero (Relevo Deportes):
“ILKAY RETURNING TO MANCHESTER CITY WOULDN’T SURPRISE ME”

I know that Manchester City is interested in Ilkay, but it’s still too early to talk. Still, it wouldn’t surprise me if he leaves. The issue between Barcelona and Ilkay is not about quality but about money. Barcelona needs to generate revenue by selling Ilkay. He has a high salary at Barcelona. In terms of football, he was the team’s best player last season. He still has some contributions to make, but he struggles when pressing like Lewandowski. And Barcelona cannot afford to have two players who struggle when the team doesn’t have the ball.

“HANSI FLICK WANTS ILKAY TO STAY, BUT…”

Barcelona has also signed Dani Olmo, who plays in the same position as Pedri and Fermín. Flick wants Ilkay to stay, but he knows it’s not about money. Ilkay signed for Barça knowing the economic conditions. He became an important player because he contributed well as a defensive midfielder. Barcelona doesn’t have many players in that position. In pre-season matches and the first La Liga match, they played with second-team players Bernal and Casado in that position. Ilkay Gündoğan’s departure would be somewhat annoying but could also be seen as a minor loss, as Barça would get the financial boost they need in return.

Miquel Blázquez Font (Diari de Catalunya):
“ILKAY WILL DEFINITELY LEAVE BARCELONA THIS SUMMER”

I definitely think Ilkay Gündoğan will leave Barcelona this summer. Barça fans love Ilkay, but they need to understand that the club must make some sales to register other players like Dani Olmo. La Liga management has told Barça that they need to offload highly paid players like Ilkay. The primary reason is economic. Both Barcelona and Hansi Flick think Ilkay is an excellent player.

“ILKAY COULD BE A KEY PIECE FOR TURKISH GIANTS TOO”

Hansi Flick loves Ilkay Gündoğan, but he doesn’t think he can meet Barça’s defensive needs. The coach believes Ilkay is an important player but not for the starting XI. Another important factor is the economic situation. As I mentioned, Barça needs to get rid of high-earning players, and Ilkay Gündoğan is the top candidate for that. In my opinion, Ilkay is close to joining Manchester City, but if he joins one of the big clubs in Turkey
, he’ll definitely be a key
player for them. I think he’s still an elite player and can compete at the highest levels in the world.

Arnau Viñeglas (Jijantes TV):
“ILKAY’S DEPARTURE WOULD BE A BIG LOSS FOR BARCELONA”

Ilkay Gündoğan will likely leave Barcelona due to Financial Fair Play regulations. The Catalan giant is open to letting him go because his attacking midfield position is already covered by Pedri, Fermín, and new signing Dani Olmo. Ilkay Gündoğan’s departure will be a significant economic relief for Barcelona, as they’ll get rid of his 20 million Euro annual salary. However, it will also be a big loss for the team. The Turkish-German midfielder scored 5 goals and provided 14 assists in his first season with the Blaugrana. His departure could be a decision that FC Barcelona might regret.

“HANSI FLICK REALLY APPRECIATES ILKAY’S TECHNIQUE”

German head coach Hansi Flick truly appreciates Ilkay’s world-class vision and technique. Ilkay is undoubtedly a top-class playmaker with deadly assists. However, Flick has been clear about the high-pressing style he wants to implement at FC Barcelona. This is why the 33-year-old will likely struggle to maintain that defensive intensity throughout the season. This situation shows why Barcelona’s head coach is open to planning without a midfielder like Ilkay. It also means that Barça could finally register Dani Olmo’s 55 million Euro transfer from RB Leipzig in the system.

“EN-NESYRI OR ICARDI COULD BECOME EVEN MORE LETHAL FINISHERS”

Ilkay Gündoğan has proven that he can still perform at an elite level. His tactical intelligence remains unaffected by any physical decline. If a football genius like Pep Guardiola is pushing for Ilkay’s return to Manchester City, who are we to question his current form? Personally, I’d love to see Ilkay Gündoğan retire in his homeland, Turkey
. He would fit perfectly with either of the big clubs in Turkey
. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that Galatasaray’s potential qualification for the 2024/25 Champions League group stage by beating Swiss side Young Boys in the playoffs could be a compelling sporting argument to attract Ilkay. After all, is there a striker in the world who wouldn’t want Ilkay on their team? You can ask Youssef En-Nesyri of Fenerbahçe or Mauro Icardi of Galatasaray. Both would definitely welcome the transfer, knowing they’d become even more lethal finishers with Ilkay on the field.