Ilkay Gundogan is expected to depart Manchester City and join Barcelona on a free transfer, according to reports published on Wednesday.
Gundogan is rumored to have been promised a three-year contract by Barcelona and is anticipated to finalize his transfer to the Spanish champions at the end of June, when his City contract expires.
Reportedly, City was willing to offer their 32-year-old captain a new one-year contract with an additional 12-month option.
The anticipated transfer of Gundogan to Camp Nou was announced on the same day that City agreed to pay £30 million ($38 million) for Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic.
The versatility and expertise of Kovacic would help mitigate for the loss of Gundogan, whose leadership and aptitude for scoring crucial goals were crucial to City’s success during Pep Guardiola’s tenure.
This season, Gundogan scored twice in Manchester City’s FA Cup final victory over Manchester United before Guardiola’s Premier League champions defeated Inter Milan in the Champions League final.
The Germany international appeared in 51 matches this season, netting 11 goals, including six in his last seven appearances during the stressful run-in to the treble.
City is the second English team to capture all three main championships in a single season.
Gundogan will be fondly remembered by City supporters as one of the club’s halcyon era’s unsung pillars.
In his seven years at City, the former Borussia Dortmund midfielder has won five Premier League titles, two FA Cups, four League Cups, and the Champions League.
Guardiola was adamant about retaining Gundogan, who has a close relationship with him after residing in the same upscale Manchester apartment building for many years.
However, due to Gundogan’s age, City reportedly declined to match Barcelona’s offer and appear to have made the pragmatic decision to let him go.