.png)
4 days ago
4 ARTICLE AD
As reported over the weekend, Barcelona are open to listening to offers for more than half their squad this summer as Hansi Flick begins a new era at the club.
Only a handful of members such as Lamine Yamal, Gavi, Pedri, and Marc-Andre ter Stegen are being seen as indispensable, leaving the door open for some major exits.
Ilkay Gundogan not safe from the axe
Now, Toni Juanmarti of SPORT reports that even though Barcelona greatly appreciate and value what Ilkay Gundogan offers to the team, they would listen to offers for him as well, due to the club’s Financial Fair Play position.
Signed for free in 2023, Gundogan enjoyed a fine debut season in Catalonia on a personal level even though the campaign ended without any trophies.
Despite being 33 years old, the German international showcased his quality, particularly while pushing upfield, finishing with 14 assists in the season.
Exit not ruled out. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)However, Fair Play issues have been weighing on the club in recent years, which is why the management of salary space takes precedence over sporting criteria and Barcelona are not ruling out offers for Gundogan.
Why Barcelona would study offers for Gundogan?
Apart from the FFP situation, another reason behind Barcelona being open to studying offers for Gundogan is that they believe that they have the position well-covered.
With Hansi Flick set to introduce a 4-2-3-1 formation, Gundogan is seen as well-suited to the role of the attacking midfielder/playmaker.
But Barça have Pedri as a top option for the role, with the Spaniard showcasing that he can perform at his best in the position. With Fermin Lopez also an option, the club feel they are well-covered in the area.
Gundogan, for his part, has shown no indication that he wants to leave despite having some interesting proposals.
And while Barcelona will not push him to leave, they would be open to offers and would even accept a low transfer fee to facilitate his exit.
