Barcelona have finally decided to recruit their first player of the summer after failing to re-sign Lionel Messi. Since Sergio Busquets is close to finalizing his exit, the club has been obliged to look for a replacement midfielder. A major hole will be left in the mid-area with the Spanish veteran’s departure.
Even the Blaugrana boss Xavi Hernandez had made it clear that he wants to bring in a “top” player to fill the vacancy left by his departing captain. That’s the La Liga champions’ main goal, even though they are having trouble complying with Financial Fair Play regulations and are fast losing their main targets.
The Catalan heavyweights will have difficulty registering new players until they complete certain departures. Nevertheless, it appears that they have already finalized the agreement for their initial summer acquisition, having diligently paved the way for this deal over the course of several months.
Report: Barcelona agree deal to sign Ilkay Gundogan as free agent after leaving Manchester City
Breaking news from Fabrizio Romano indicates that Barcelona have successfully secured the services of Ilkay Gundogan, the captain of Manchester City. The 32-year-old midfielder has reportedly put pen to paper and signed a contract with the Blaugrana, marking his move as a free transfer.
The German international reportedly signed his contract with the Spanish side on Wednesday in Munich, where Barca director Mateu Alemany flew in to finalize the pact. He reportedly signs a two-year contract until 2025 with a one-year extension option. The option to renew his contract will be granted if he appears in more than half of the club’s games during his second season.
In addition to passing his medicals in Germany, midfielder Gundogan’s deal is said to have a €500 million release clause. More information on the deal is provided by RAC1, which claims that the treble winner with City has accepted an annual salary of roughly €9 million, which is a significant wage drop from what he earned at the Etihad Stadium.