Why Barcelona Could Let Ilkay Gundogan Leave for ‘Free’
In an unexpected turn of events during the 2024/25 summer transfer window, Barcelona’s Ilkay Gundogan, a former Manchester City captain, may soon find himself back at the Etihad Stadium—and shockingly, he could be making the move on a free transfer.
This development has raised eyebrows across the football world, given Gundogan’s status as one of the most accomplished midfielders in Europe.
However, the underlying reasons for this potential transfer reveal a complex situation at the heart of Barcelona’s financial struggles and squad management challenges.
Gundogan, who recently announced his retirement from international football, only joined Barcelona a year ago.
He quickly established himself as a crucial player under then-manager Xavi Hernandez, contributing significantly to the team’s midfield stability.
His arrival in Catalonia was seen as a coup for Barcelona, given his experience and success at Manchester City, where he was a key figure in Pep Guardiola’s squad that dominated English football.
Yet, despite his importance on the pitch, the German midfielder now appears to be surplus to requirements at Camp Nou.
Reports from Spanish outlet Marca suggest that Barcelona’s willingness to part ways with Gundogan stems from difficulties in registering new signing Dani Olmo.
The Spanish playmaker, who was one of the standout performers at Euro 2024, joined Barcelona from RB Leipzig for £51 million after leading Spain to European glory and finishing as one of the tournament’s joint top scorers.
However, Barcelona’s well-documented financial woes have made it challenging for the club to accommodate new signings under La Liga’s strict salary cap regulations.
In order to finalize the registration of Olmo and potentially other new additions to the squad, Barcelona is faced with the need to offload some of their current players. Unfortunately for Gundogan, his name has surfaced as one of the prime candidates to be sacrificed.
The midfielder, who has a contract with a £343 million release clause, is reportedly earning around €15 million per year, making him the third highest-paid player at the club behind Frenkie de Jong and Robert Lewandowski.
Despite his hefty release clause, Barcelona’s financial predicament is so dire that they are considering letting him leave for free, just to reduce their wage bill.
The situation has been further complicated by Gundogan’s apparent dissatisfaction with his role in the team. He was left out of Barcelona’s opening La Liga match against Valencia, which they narrowly won 2-1.
This omission has reportedly led Gundogan to submit a transfer request, signaling his readiness to move on from Barcelona. Although Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick has indicated that he expects Gundogan to remain with the club, the mounting pressure to balance the books could force the club’s hand.
If Gundogan does depart, he is unlikely to be short of suitors. The Daily Mail has reported that Fenerbahçe, managed by the legendary Jose Mourinho, is particularly interested in securing his services.
Mourinho, who has already brought in former Premier League stars Caglar Soyuncu and Allan Saint-Maximin this summer, is believed to be highly motivated to add Gundogan to his squad.
There is even speculation that Gundogan’s Turkish heritage could play a role in swaying his decision to join the Istanbul-based club.
As the summer transfer window nears its close, the prospect of Gundogan returning to Manchester City, or perhaps embarking on a new challenge in Turkey, remains a tantalizing possibility.
For Barcelona, however, this situation underscores the harsh realities of their current financial landscape, where even a player of Gundogan’s caliber might be deemed expendable to ensure the club’s long-term stability.
Why Barcelona Could Let Ilkay Gundogan Leave for ‘Free’