Manchester City are reportedly keen to re-sign Barcelona midfielder Ilkay Gundogan as his future remains uncertain.
Rumours of Gundogan leaving Barcelona were first sparked by the Spanish press over the weekend, with the 33-year-old said to have handed in a transfer request due to tensions behind the scenes.
The midfielder only joined Barcelona on a free transfer last summer following the expiration of his contract with City, but The Athletic reports that the Premier League champions want him back.
But City are not the only clubs interested in signing Gundogan, with several English clubs also interested in signing him, as well as teams in Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Arsenal unsuccessfully tried to sign Gundogan when he left City last year and Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta worked with Gundogan when he was assistant coach at the Etihad Stadium, but it is unclear whether the north London team are among the clubs monitoring Gundogan’s situation this time.
Barcelona needs to make space for registration Olmo / Eric Alonso / Getty Images
Financial difficulties have meant Barcelona have been unable to sign their summer star player Dani Olmo to a La Liga squad. Olmo is currently overcoming fitness issues and would have missed the season opener against Valencia. Barcelona started the Hansi Flick era with three points with a 2-1 win at Mestalla.
Meanwhile, City began their bid for a record fifth consecutive Premier League title with a 2-0 win over Chelsea, handing the Blues new manager Enzo Maresca his first defeat.
In Gundogan’s absence, City won the Premier League last season but failed to win back-to-back UEFA Champions League and FA Cup titles, bowing out of Europe after losing on penalties in the quarter-finals to eventual winners Real Madrid, while rivals Manchester United won a repeat of the 2023 FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium.