Ilkay Gundogan’s agent denies transfer claim and explains Man City plans

Ilkay Gundogan’s agent has denied the player has agreed a pre-contract with Barcelona ahead of his Manchester City deal expiring this summer.

The midfielder, who was Pep Guardiola’s first signing at the Etihad in 2016, could walk away from the club for free at the end of the season, and reports in Spain over recent days have stated he has already agreed to join the side currently top of La Liga.

Journalist Gerard Romero claimed a contract has been arranged with Barcelona, but Ilhan Gundogan, the player’s uncle and agent, has revealed these reports are wide of the mark.

“There’s definitely no agreement yet with any club,” he told the Guardian.

“The focus of Ilkay in recent weeks was only on Manchester City and the birth of his son. Now he is in the final and crucial phase of the season and is completely focused on that. Where Ilkay plays next season is still open.”

In February, Pep Guardiola told Gundogan that he had earned the right to decide his own City future following his title-winning goals vs Aston Villa last season.

The manager said: “I think I know my opinion about Ilkay. What Ilkay has done against Aston VIlla last season he can do whatever he wants. He has the paradise already. So he knows exactly my opinion about him.

“The club knows it and it is a question for him and his agent. What is going to happen I’m pretty sure is going to be good for him.

“Really we want how he is behaving, how he has behaved all his life in Manchester but what is going to happen? This kind of things belongs to the club and the player.”