Sources close to Ilkay Gundogan attempt to cool Manchester City exit speculation | OneFootball

Based on multiple reports, sources close to Ilkay Gundogan have attempted to cool speculation concerning a summer exit for the Manchester City vice-captain, with only a year left to run on his current contract with the Blues.

We covered a report from Mike Keegan in the Daily Mail, who in an exclusive piece stated that Gundogan was set to leave the club, with an extension to his current contract unlikely and the player seeking to start week in and week out – which cannot be guaranteed at City.

This morning, it became apparent that sources close to the player were keen to cool discussion surrounding a possible exit when Sam Lee of the Athletic and German outlets Sport 1 and Bild reported that talks between City and Gundogan would take place after the season's conclusion.

Bild and Sport 1 would go further in reporting that there are currently no indications that City would be looking to offload the senior German international.

Stuart Brennan of the Manchester Evening News would corroborate the news relayed by the aforementioned journalist/publications relating to discussions between the two parties taking place following the season's end – but would interestingly reveal that Gundogan's agent is said to be furious at the Daily Mail report from yesterday, especially given its timing – mere days before the end of the season, with City still looking to add another Premier League trophy to the collection.

This afternoon, Fabrizio Romano reports of ongoing talks between Gundogan's representatives and the City board. Discussions are said to be not related to a new deal but rather the player's immediate future, with ‘serious chances’ of him leaving the club.

Romano lists Barcelona, Arsenal and German clubs as interested parties, with the Gunners' interest reportedly dependent on Champions League qualification.

Barcelona are believed to have held discussions with the 31-year-old's representatives last summer.

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