Ilkay Gundogan ‘Agrees Contract’ With New Club, Man City ‘Open’ to Transfer | OneFootball

İlkay Gündoğan could soon be on the move after reports suggested the veteran Manchester City midfielder has been in positive contact with Galatasaray.

Gündoğan returned to City last summer, after a single year at Barcelona, and played 51 times across all competitions. But the former Germany international turns 35 in October and game time could be limited with Nico González and Tijjani Reijnders signed over the last two transfer windows.

L’Équipe reports “concrete progress” in Galatasaray’s efforts to recruit Gündoğan, having earlier considered City teammate Bernardo Silva and Inter set-piece king Hakan Çalhanoğlu.

A contract agreement between Gündoğan and the back-to-back Turkish champions is said to be in place, although he is yet to speak with head coach Okan Buruk. With Gündoğan under contract, it would also be necessary to reach a transfer agreement with Manchester City.

Pep Guardiola and Man City usually allow players to leave. / IMAGO/Nicolo Campo

At least that might not be too challenging. City don’t typically stop players from leaving the club, as seen down the years—Riyad Mahrez, Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sané are three of the more high-profile examples. The Guardian reports that City, having asked Gündoğan not to leave mid-season when Galatasaray first enquired in January, are open to letting him go now.

It is also possible that, despite being under contract to 2026, City wouldn’t ask for a transfer fee.

There has long been an expectation that Gündoğan would join a Süper Lig club before finishing his career. His parents are both Turkish, settling in Germany before he was born, and the player has previously met with long-serving Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

If a transfer is agreed, Gündoğan would leave Manchester City—for the second time, having played 355 games for the club across his two spells. He captained City to their 2022–23 treble, and has won 12 major trophies in eight seasons overall.

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