Ilkay Gündogan will return to Manchester City on a free transfer, 12 months after leaving the club for Barcelona.
The 33-year-old, captain when City won the treble in 2023, will join on an initial one-year deal with an option for a second.
Gündogan has waived the remaining two years of his salary in Catalonia.
The current sporting director, Deco, did not tell him to find a club and nor did Flick say that he would not play.
However, given the financial difficulties at the club, essentially everyone except Lamine Yamal is for sale.
Where other players, such as Frenkie de Jong and Raphinha, have resisted the pressure and refused to move, Gündogan informed Barcelona that he would accept a departure if the move was right.
Gündogan was Barcelona’s third highest earner after Robert Lewandowski and De Jong, on a little under €20m (£17m) a year.
He has agreed not to be paid for either of his remaining seasons, saving Barça €40m (£34m).
Twelve months after departing for Barcelona, Ilkay Gündogan will make a free transfer back to Manchester City. The 33-year-old, who captained City during their 2023 treble victory, will sign a one-year contract with a one-year extension option.
After realizing that Barcelona did not want him to stay at Camp Nou, Gündogan contacted Pep Guardiola, with whom he had spent seven years playing at City, and quickly an agreement was reached. Gündogan has renounced his salary for the final two years he was paid in Catalonia. It is anticipated that the transaction will be formally closed in the next few hours.
Barcelona now have too many players at number ten, as Dani Olmo joins Pedri, Fermín López, and Pablo Torre. Gündogan’s departure is more of an economic decision than a footballing one, as new head coach Hansi Flick has not promised him a starting spot this season.
Gündogan, who joined Barcelona in June 2023 on a free transfer after being signed by former sporting director Jordi Cruyff with the support of then-coach Xavi Hernández, stated, “It was my childhood dream.”. He played the most games and minutes of any player in the squad during his rookie campaign, racking up five goals and fourteen assists across all competitions.
Gündogan announced this week that he was retiring from international football after leading Germany to the quarterfinals of the 2024 European Championship, but Barcelona did not explicitly tell him that this was their intention. Deco, the current sporting director, did not advise him to locate a club, nor did Flick declare he would not participate.
But with the club having financial problems, well, everyone is up for grabs, save for Lamine Yamal. While other players have buckled under pressure and refused to move, like Raphinha and Frenkie de Jong, Gündogan told Barcelona he would accept a move out if it was the right one. He communicated with City last week.
With slightly less than €20 million (£17 million) per year, Gündogan was Barcelona’s third-highest earner, behind De Jong and Robert Lewandowski. His original contract was set to expire in 2025, but after he participated in more than 60% of their games the previous season, an automatic one-year extension was activated. In exchange for saving Barça €40 million (£34 million), he has decided not to be paid for the two remaining seasons.
As Guardiola’s first hire as City manager, Gündogan joined the team in June 2016 and quickly established himself as a success, winning five Premier League titles, two FA Cups, four League Cups, and the Champions League.
