With there being a lot of rumours surrounding Barcelona and their pursuit of Mancheester City captain and icon Ilkay Gundogan, journalist Toni Juanmarti (h/t Reshad Rahman) has come up with an update on the German’s situation.
The 32-year-old midfielder is set to become a free agent this summer and as per the report, Barcelona president Joan Laporta is open to signing Gundogan now, after having initially not been in favour of the move.
It is claimed that the top officials at Barcelona now recognise the need for a new midfielder. Given the financial situation, they understand that Gundogan would be the ideal option due to his availability as a free agent in the summer, despite the fact that he turns 33 in October.
As per the report, Barcelona would be offering Gundogan a two-year contract with an option of an additional twelve months.
Providing further details of the potential contract offer, Juanmarti claims that the midfielder will be offered a reduced wage of €6 million per year (net) in his first season at Barça.
It would be quite a significant drop in salary compared to what he currently earns, but is willing to accept it. However, the former Borussia Dortmund ace will see an increase in his salary in his second year at the club.
Essentially, Gundogan would be deferring a part of his salary for next season in order to help the club with their Financial Fair Play woes, before earning it in his second year with the Blaugrana.
Barcelona are understood to be growing increasingly confident of signing Gundogan as they believe it will be easier to convince the player to part ways with his current club.
However, Gundogan is aware of all the noises surrounding Barça and their off-field issues. Hence, he wants to take a little more time and assess everything carefully before deciding to leave Manchester City.
The 32-year-old does not want to uproot his life just for two years even though moving to Barcelona is an incentive for him and his family. He wants stability, which he is getting in Manchester both personally and on a sporting level. So, he will take time and make a decision after assessing all factors.
