Barcelona star Ilkay Gundogan contacts former team over a possible return this summer - Reports

Barcelona star Ilkay Gundogan has contacted his former club Manchester City over a possible return this summer. That is according to a report from Catalunya Radio which claims the midfielder made the move after having doubts about his future in the Catalan capital.

Recall that Ilkay Gundogan left Manchester City to join Barcelona on a free transfer back in July 2023. The 33-year-old had a decent spell in his first season with the Blaugrana, playing 51 games across all competitions and contributing five goals and 14 assists.

However, his future at the club has become a subject of speculation after rumors surfaced in recent days claiming that he has asked to leave after just one year.

Now, Catalunya Radio has reported that the German international has sounded out Manchester City over the possibility of sealing a return to the Etihad Stadium before the transfer window shuts this summer.

As per the story, City boss Pep Guardiola is open to the idea of welcoming the midfielder back to the Etihad Stadium. The Barcelona star is also said to be attracting interest from clubs in Turkey.

It goes without saying that Gundogan enjoyed a stellar spell during his time with Manchester City. The 33-year-old played a whopping 304 games for the Cityzens, recording 60 goals and 38 assists to his name.

He also won several honors, including one Champions League crown, five Premier League titles, two FA Cups and four EFL Cups among others. If he ends up sealing a return to the club this summer, he'll get the opportunity to further improve upon those numbers.

What is next for Barcelona?

The Catalan giants marked their return to action with a vital 2-1 victory over Valencia in their La Liga opener at the weekend (August 17). Robert Lewandowski scored both of their goals while Lamine Yamal provided one assist to grant Hansi Flick a perfect start to life in the Catalan capital.

Up next, they'll go head-to-head with Athletic Bilbao in their next league game this weekend. The match is scheduled to be held at the Blaugrana's temporary home turf, the Estadi Olímpic Lluis Companys, on Saturday August 24.

Barcelona currently occupy the second spot in the table following the victory over Valencia. Their arch rivals Real Madrid dropped two points against Mallorca in their opening fixture and now sit in the 12th spot in the rankings.

It will be interesting to see how these two teams will compete in the Spanish top flight this term, especially now that Los Blancos have managed to lure the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Endrick to the Santiago Bernabeu while the Catalans signed Dani Olmo.