Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan might be dispensable this summer and after Arsenal and Bayern Munich, AS Roma are the latest club interested in signing him, according to Italian daily Leggo(h/t TuttoMercatoWeb).
The midfielder started only 20 Premier League games this season but he still managed to score eight goals along with four assists. However, there’s still a chance the 31-year-old might be shown the door this summer.
Gundogan has one year left on his current contract at Manchester City and he’s already put his future up in the air, claiming that he is yet to agree to a new deal.
“We will sit down together in due course and exchange our ideas and plans, and then we will see what comes out of it,” the Germany international had said, as quoted.
“Football-wise, there is certainly still no better address than Manchester City under Pep Guardiola, and I think that will hardly change in the next few years.”
🧨 Ilkay Gundogan had the best overall WhoScored rating as a substitute (5+ sub apps) in the Premier League last season (6.80).
😎 He saved his most influential cameo for the final day of the season pic.twitter.com/wz3QnjtpGK
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) June 13, 2022
Is Roma’s interest in the midfielder serious?
The midfield has been a major area of concern for Jose Mourinho and this is why he’s hurridly gone and signed Nemanja Matic on a free transfer.
Someone like Ilkay Gundogan can elevate Roma to the next level and there’s every chance that Jose Mourinho will ask his management to make a move for him in the coming months.
Roma will be keeping a close eye on Gundogan’s situation and if they come to know that Manchester City are not going to offer him a new deal then Mourinho will try everything to bring the German on board.
Do Arsenal and Bayern still have a chance to sign Ilkay Gundogan?
Arsenal and Bayern don’t have too much to worry about because we don’t think Gundogan is going to choose a move to AS Roma.
While Roma are willing to meet the midfielder’s wage demands but if he decides to leave Manchester City then he will either want to head back to Germany or remain in the Premier League.
He’s previously worked with Mikel Arteta so Gundogan might choose to join Arsenal and become the star midfielder for them or he will wish to return to the Bundesliga and spend the final phase of his career with Bayern Munich.
All this will obviously depend on if Manchester City offer him a new deal or not. Unless it’s absolutely certain that Ilkay Gundogan is not going to be offered a new deal, neither of the interested clubs is going to make a move for the 31-year-old this summer.