Galatasaray close in on transfer agreement for Manchester City midfielder | OneFootball

Manchester City are expected to green light an exit for Ilkay Gundogan this summer, should the midfielder reach an agreement with Galatasaray.

The former German international has been at the centre of widespread transfer speculation over recent weeks, with multiple outlets across Europe reporting on potential destinations.

Initial suggestions pointed towards the Bundesliga and Serie A as possible landing spots, with confirmed interest from Saudi Arabia, MLS, and Turkey. At one stage, reports from Germany described Gundogan’s chances of leaving as “50/50”, while others insisted he remained “one to watch” before the window closes.

For Galatasaray, the pursuit of Gundogan has been consistent throughout the summer, with the Turkish champions repeatedly named as suitors alongside their wider ambitions to sign Manchester City players including Ederson and Manuel Akanji.

While suggestions of a package deal for all three appeared optimistic and are now firmly over given the former’s switch to Fenerbahce and the defender’s expected move to Inter on an initial loan deal, the Istanbul club’s persistence over Gundogan is now close to paying off.

From Manchester City’s perspective, sanctioning Gundogan’s departure would be a significant but not unexpected decision. The 34-year-old automatically signed a one-year extension earlier this summer through a pre-determined number of required appearances.

New arrivals such as Tijjani Reijnders this summer and Nico Gonzalez during the January market are already being lined up to shoulder greater responsibility for Manchester City moving forward.

And now, according to the information of Turkish journalist Yağız Sabuncuoğlu, Galatasaray have offered Ilkay Gundogan an annual salary of €5 million, with an agreement now ‘very close’ between player and club.

It is further revealed that the moment an agreement is reached with the German midfielder, officials at Manchester City will allow his transfer and bring an end to their 12-month reunion following Gundogan’s return from FC Barcelona last summer.

Should the deal be finalised, City supporters will be saying farewell once again to one of their modern legends.

Gundogan, who captained the side during their historic 2022/23 treble-winning season, delivered countless decisive moments across his two Etihad Stadium spells and leaves with his legacy firmly secured.

The move would also strengthen Galatasaray significantly, providing them with a proven UEFA Champions League-level midfielder who has succeeded in the Bundesliga, La Liga, and the Premier League.

For Gundogan, the switch would represent both a new challenge and a return closer to his roots. With just days remaining before the window closes in Turkey, City now appear to be bracing themselves for one more high-profile exit.