2023-06-26 11:23:25
Ilkay Gündogan, the German captain of Manchester City, has signed up with FC Barcelona until 2025, the Catalan club announced on Monday. “The midfielder, a recent Champions League winner, joins Barca until 2025,” the Spanish champions said in a statement, adding that the release clause stood at 400 million euros.
Published on: 06/26/2023 – 11:23 Modified on: 06/26/2023 – 11:28
The German international, architect of the unprecedented treble of the Championship-England Cup-Champions League achieved this season by the English club, will have ” an optional additional year”, Barca said. Manchester City have tried to retain the 32-year-old midfielder, offering him a one-year extension with an additional year as an option.
City didn’t match Barcelona’s offer
But Barça won the bet. “Xavi (the coach of the Catalan club, editor’s note) called him several times,” Pep Guardiola confirmed last week. The Catalan manager of Manchester City added that he hoped that his player would extend, but without great illusions. ” If he finally decides to go to Barcelona, I will tell him that he will be fine there. he had said.
Manchester City would have decided not to match the offer of the Spanish club, taking into account in particular the age of the German midfielder.
Kovacic, the replacement?
Arrived in June 2016 from Borussia Dortmund, Gündogan stacked in seven seasons under the jersey of the Citizens five league titles, a Champions League, two FA Cups and four League Cups.
He has made 51 appearances in all competitions this season, scoring 11 goals including six in the last seven games he has played, a final sprint which has seen City irretrievably get the better of Arsenal.
To compensate for a departure, Manchester City has already announced an agreement with Chelsea for the transfer of Croatian midfielder Mateo Kovacic, for an estimated sum of 35 million euros.
(With AFP)
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