Ilkay Gundogan could be on the verge of a dramatic return to Manchester City after expressing his desire for an immediate move back to the Etihad.
The German midfielder, who joined Barcelona last summer after a stellar final season with City, has struggled to find his footing at Camp Nou.
Gundogan, who signed a two-year contract with Barcelona following his seven-year stint at Manchester City, is now in the final year of his deal.
Despite his recent move, he has been sidelined by Barcelona, including missing out on their 2-1 victory over Valencia.
According to Spanish publication Sport, Gundogan has reportedly informed Barcelona of his wish to leave after a challenging period in Spain.
His preferred destination appears to be a return to Manchester City, where he had a successful tenure under Pep Guardiola, including a historic treble-winning season.
Guardiola is said to be open to reuniting with Gündogan, as reported by The Sun.
The City manager is seeking reinforcements following a long-term injury to forward Oscar Bobb.
Gundogan, now 33, has had a difficult season at Barcelona, scoring just five goals in 51 appearances and experiencing his first trophy-less season in seven years.
Barcelona have bolstered their midfield with the addition of Euro 2024 star Dani Olmo from RB Leipzig, filling the same role as Gundogan.
However, Barcelona manager and Gündogan’s compatriot, Hansi Flick, has indicated he expects Gundogan to remain with the La Liga side.
“I think he’s gonna end up staying at Barça,” he said.
“He was out tonight as he had some discomfort.
“I spoke to Ilkay, but that stays between us as it’s private conversation.”
According to a report from Sport, the midfielder has informed the coaching staff that he has had ‘enough’ and is seeking assistance in finding an exit from the club.
The 33-year-old is reportedly attracting interest from several clubs in Turkey and Saudi Arabia.
Among those keen to sign Gundogan is Fenerbahçe manager José Mourinho.
Mourinho, who took over at Fenerbahçe in June, has been active in the transfer market.
He has overseen the departures of Caglar Soyuncu, Cenk Tosun, and Youssef En-Nesyri on permanent deals, and secured Allan Saint-Maximin on loan from Al-Ahli.
The report suggests that Mourinho is willing to go to great lengths to acquire Gundogan, driven by his strong desire to bring him to Fenerbahçe.
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