FC Barcelona announced a first-team player transfer late Friday morning in Catalonia.
“FC Barcelona and Manchester City have agreed on the transfer of Ilkay Gundogan,” the club stated.
The club expressed its gratitude to Gundogan for his commitment and dedication, wishing him success in the future, both personally and professionally.
On X (formerly Twitter), Gundogan bid farewell to Barcelona after just 14 months with the club.
“Dear Culers, after just one year, it’s already time to say goodbye,” he wrote to the fans.
“I came for a new, exciting challenge and gave everything in a difficult season. Though it’s hard to leave, if my departure helps the club financially, it softens the blow. Playing for Barca has been a dream, and I’ll always cherish this experience.”
Gundogan wished the team well for the 2024/2025 season, saying the fans deserve to see Barcelona back among the world’s best.
Many are puzzled by Barca’s decision to let Gundogan leave Montjuic Stadium on a free transfer, despite having two years left on his contract. While he initially arrived on a free from Manchester City after leading them to a historic treble, this time Barca tore up his contract without compensation.
Gundogan could have commanded a significant fee from clubs in Saudi Arabia or Turkey, making it hard to imagine City would have done the same to help Barcelona. However, his departure does free up funds to register new signing Dani Olmo.
