David Ornstein confirms possible Premier League return for Manchester City legend

Manchester City legend Ilkay Gundogan is attracting Premier League interest as he weighs up his options ahead of a possible Barcelona exit this summer.

The latest developments concerning the future of the 33-year-old come after it was first reported in Spain that Gundogan had reached an agreement with Barcelona over an exit from the club due to their precarious financial position.

Barcelona have been unable to register Dani Olmo in their La Liga squad due to their financial situation and the challenges of complying with the league’s squad cost limit, having signed the Spanish international star from RB Leipzig in a €60 million agreement earlier this summer.

Naturally, given Manchester City’s emotional connection and history with Ilkay Gundogan that came to a natural conclusion at the end of the 2022/23 season, the Premier League champions have been one of the first clubs to be linked with the German playmaker.

But Etihad Stadium officials will certainly not be alone in any interest for the midfielder, should they wish to solidify any interest through a proposal in the coming days, with a new report even suggesting there could be competition from within the English top-flight.

According to the information of The Athletic’s David Ornstein, Ilkay Gundogan is now exploring his options amid the possibility of leaving Barcelona this summer, with interest from clubs in the Premier League, Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

At present, it remains to be seen whether Manchester City would be interested in a return of their former club captain, despite the Etihad Stadium recruitment known to be eyeing recruitment in the centre of the park throughout the ongoing summer.

Among the options reportedly of interest to Manchester City are Newcastle United’s Bruno Guimaraes and Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze – both of whom have seen their respective release clauses expire this summer.

City are aware of the need for support for Rodri in defensive midfield, but may now feel as though existing options including Mateo Kovacic, Nico O’Reilly, and Rico Lewis can get them through the ongoing campaign until another summer transfer window arrives.