In a recent report, Sport mentioned that Barcelona are in advanced talks to sign Manchester City ace Ilkay Gundogan. It has been claimed that the Catalan club are eager to bring the German international to the Nou Camp this summer.
Gundogan’s Impressive Run Of Form At The Etihad Stadium This Season
Gundogan is enjoying another impressive season at Man City and has been responsible for putting in a string of productive performances for them at the centre of the park. The 32-year-old has participated in 37 matches for the Mancunian club this season, netting four goals and grabbing four assists in the process across multiple competitions.
The experienced midfielder has given a good account of himself by averaging 1.0 tackles, 0.6 interceptions, 0.5 clearances, 1.7 shots and 1.3 key passes per 90 minutes in Premier League football. He has even been excellent when distributing possession from midfield after making 86.7% of his attempted passes in the English first division (stats via whoscored).
Gundogan’s current contract at the Etihad Stadium will run out at the end of this campaign. Thus, Barca could land him on a free transfer later this summer.
Is Gundogan A Decent Option For Barcelona Boss Xavi?
Gundogan is a solid tackler of the ball and can read the danger quickly to make some timely interceptions for his team when he is playing with confidence on the pitch. He can still score and create his fair share of goals in the final third but has lost a yard of pace from his game. Still, there is no denying that Gundogan has what it takes to earn a regular starting spot in Xavi’s first XI next season if Barca can manage to get him on board in the off-season.
The German talent mainly operates as a box-to-box midfielder but can also function as a holding midfielder or play in the number ten position if needed.
Gundogan will no doubt add more quality to Xavi’s first XI. He has got a wealth of experience under his belt and could help the Catalan club challenge for some major honours over the next couple of years. With all things considered, Gundogan will be a decent option for Barcelona to consider during the summer transfer period.
