‘here we go’.
Man City’s traveling captain, Ilkay Gundogan, will wear a Barcelona jersey. On the 22nd (KST), Fabrizio Romano, one of the most authoritative voices in the European transfer market, tweeted, ‘Guindoan is going to Barcelona. The final approval to register Gundogan has been given. The player has also given the green light. The deal was finalized a few minutes ago with the signing of the papers. ‘Guindoan has agreed to a two-year contract until June 2025. He has an option for one more year.
Earlier, the BBC also broke the news of Guindoan’s move to Barcelona. ‘Man City captain Gundogan, whose contract expires at the end of this month, is joining Barcelona as a free agent. He had been offered a new contract by City but has agreed a three-year deal with ‘Spanish champions’ Barcelona.
City were initially keen to re-sign him, with Pep Guardiola saying earlier this month that the club was “trying to keep him at the club and I wish them success”. Gündoğan is a player of Guardiola’s persona. Guendouzi joined City from Dortmund in 2016. He was Guardiola’s first signing. Capable of playing all over the midfield, both offensively and defensively, Guendouzi has incredible technique and flair.토토사이트
He struggled a bit with injuries in his first season, but has since steadily improved. He’s a key midfielder in Guardiola’s system. No matter where he played, he did his job and was a favorite of Guardiola. In seven seasons, Guendouane made 304 appearances, scoring 60 goals and providing 40 assists. His performances helped City become one of the most dominant clubs in England. He has won five league titles, two FA Cups and four League Cups since joining the club.
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This season was the pinnacle. They lifted the last European Champions League trophy. At the end, Gundogan was the hero. He scored six goals in the final seven games. In the FA Cup final against Manchester United, Guendouzi scored a multi-goal performance to lead his team to a 2-1 victory. With the FA Cup win, City became the first English club to win the treble since Manchester United in 1998-1999. With the captain’s armband, Gundogan’s performance was unmistakable.
City were in the running to sign him, but he chose Barcelona. The terms of the contract were crucial. City offered him a one-for-one deal. The player was in the twilight of his career and wanted more stability. Barcelona, looking for midfield reinforcements, stepped in. Barcelona offered a two-for-one deal that won him over. As the BBC explains, “City were keen to keep him but not at any cost.
Manager Xavi Hernandez wanted to add experience to his midfield and succeeded in keeping his longtime favorite. With Barcelona still struggling financially, Gündoğan was the perfect buy for them as he was free of a transfer fee. In search of a replacement for Sergio Busquets, Barcelona will be able to fill the void with a quality midfielder. Guindoan will join the likes of Pedri, Gabi, and Franck de Jong in the Barcelona midfield.
Man City have already found a replacement. Matteo Kovacic, formerly of Chelsea. According to the BBC, “City are set to sign Kovacic for a base fee of £25 million with a further option of £5 million. Guardiola has been monitoring Kovacic for some time. Kovacic joined Chelsea in 2019 and has been a key midfielder for the Blues. With his skill and mobility, Kovacic is considered to be the best option to ease the impact of Gundogan’s departure.
But the final choice was Barcelona. The terms of the contract were decisive. According to the BBC and Spain’s Relevo, City offered Guendouane a one-year contract, but Barcelona offered him a two-year deal. In the end, it was Barcelona who got the better deal.
As the BBC’s Simon Stone explains, “It comes down to simple economics. “City wanted Guindoan to stay, but they didn’t want to hold on to him at any cost. He’s not going to get any better from here,” said Simon Stone of the BBC. “City can bring in other quality players and are on the verge of signing Mateo Kovacic. Guendouzi will go down as a City legend like David Silva, Yaya Toure and Vincent Kompany.”
Meanwhile, City have already found a replacement for their captain. Kovacic has been anchoring the Chelsea midfield since 2019. “City will sign Kovacic for a basic fee of £25 million with an option for a further £5 million,” says the BBC, “His arrival will ease the impact of Guendouan’s departure.”
Gundogan’s departure will make him a club legend. “Guendouzi is a club legend who led the team to the treble and will be remembered by City fans in the same way as David Silva, Yaya Toure and Vincent Kompany,” the BBC wrote.