In a recent report, Sport has revealed that Barcelona have identified Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan as a potential option if they fail to land Georginio Wijnaldum from Liverpool this summer. It is understood that the German playmaker is one of the names Barca are looking at as they look to strengthen their midfield options for the new campaign (via Sport).
Gundogan’s Excellent Campaign At The Etihad Stadium
Gundogan has gone through a long yet successful season with Man City and deserves a lot of praise for putting in some match-winning displays for them in this calendar year. The German midfield ace has scored 17 goals and earned five assists in 46 matches for the Mancunian giants this term on all fronts.
The 30-year-old has managed to find some consistency with his offensive contributions as he averaged 1.9 shots, 1.5 key passes and 1.0 dribbles per game in Premier League football. He has even interchanged possession with conviction with his teammates based on his pass success rate of 91.7% in the English top-flight (stats via whoscored).
Gundogan has helped Man City win the Premier League title and the League Cup this season, so he has the winning mindset to be a real asset for Barca if they can secure his services when the transfer window commences this month.
Will Recruiting Gundogan Be A Good Move For The Catalans?
Gundogan excels at keeping the ball moving at the centre of the park without breaking a sweat. He has a wide range of passes in his locker and can unlock the opposition defence with a decisive pass in the attacking third of the field.
The German international has been an accomplished finisher for Man City this season and deserves a pat on the back for getting himself into some dangerous areas inside the opponent’s penalty box. He can run the show on his own as a box to box midfielder, so Barca will do well to land him during this summer transfer period.
At 30, Gundogan still has a lot of football left in him and would be a decent signing for the Catalan outfit as they are in dire need to add more quality to their first team. Recruiting him this summer will be a great move for Barca as the player is good enough to help them challenge for the La Liga title next season.
