City aim to fire up new Gun deal
MANCHESTER CITY are preparing to offer Ilkay Gundogan a new deal as they step up efforts to keep hold of the German ace.
The City midfielder has less than 12 months left on his current £150,000-a-week contract – and is attracting the attention of a number of clubs in Europe, including Italian giants Juventus.
But boss Pep Guardiola still regards Gundogan, 31, as a pivotal figure in his first-team plans for this season – and beyond.
And the Spaniard has told The Etihad hierarchy to do everything possible to ensure the playmaker extends his stay, rather than follow several other big names out of the club.
Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko have all been sold this summer.
The champions, aiming to make it three titles on the spin, are also in danger of losing Bernardo Silva to Barcelona.
Guardiola admitted last week that he may be powerless to stop the Portuguese international departing for the Nou Camp in this window.
But clearly the future of Gundogan is deemed a different matter.
Arguably, the former Borussia Dortmund ace – who was the first signing of the Guardiola era back in 2016 at a cost of £20million – has just enjoyed his best two years at the club.
In 2020-21, Gundogan scored 13 times in 28 league appearances and followed that up last term with another eight in 27.
And his man-of-thematch display, off the bench in City’s comeback victory over Aston Villa on the final day of last season – when he scored twice to help secure the title – has ensured him legendary status among the fans.
Gundogan is believed to favour staying put, making negotiations relatively straightforward.