FC Barcelona has made a stunning decision regarding their roster as the summer transfer window winds down.
The La Liga club is set to let go of midfielder Ilkay Gundogan on a free transfer to his former club Manchester City, according to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano.
Gundogan's departure wasn't due to the expiration of his contract, as he had a year left on his deal, nor was it due to on-field performance.
The 33-year-old was one of Barcelona's best players in his lone season with the Catalan squad in 2023-24, where he scored five goals and provided 14 assists in 51 games across all competitions. In addition, he was also named in the 2023-24 La Liga Team of the Season.
However, Barcelona's well-known financial problems have affected their ability to register new signings, including winger Dani Olmo from RB Leipzig for their opening game of the current 2024-25 La Liga season last weekend. This situation is likely the reason behind the decision to offload the veteran midfielder to open more room for financial flexibility.
Several other teams were also interested in swooping in for the German, including Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr, the current team of Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo.
However, Gundogan chose to return to his former club after talks with Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.
Ilkay Gundogan Rejoins Manchester City
Gundogan previously joined Barcelona on a two-year deal in the summer of 2023 on a free transfer after his contract with Manchester City expired.
He was the club's first signing when manager Pep Guardiola took over the team back in 2016. The former Borussia Dortmund star later became the captain of the 2022-23 Manchester City squad that achieved a historic and dominant continental treble.
Gundogan's new deal with Manchester City is a one-year agreement which is set to last until June 2025.
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