Treble-winning former captain İlkay Gündoğan could return to Manchester City from Barcelona

Gündoğan left City on a free transfer to Barcelona after claiming the club’s first Champions League, clinching a treble in the process. He is under contract in Spain until 2026 and impressed fans with his performances, scoring five goals in his debut season (compared to 8 in his final league campaign with City).

However, The Athletic report that the German is exploring his options amid interest from multiple leagues - and some Spanish media claim he has agreed to leave.

Barcelona’s financial situation is far from ideal, as has been the case over several years. They’ve been forced to lose several stars, not least Lionel Messi, and rumours are swirling that this summer’s flagship signing Dani Olmo can’t be registered with La Liga because of financial issues.

Their money troubles could explain why the higher-ups at the club might be willing to let Gündoğan go after only one year with the Blaugrana - the question for Premier League fans is whether any clubs could be tempted to bring him back to England.

Could it even be his old side Manchester City? For years, Gündoğan was synonymous with the Guardiola era - the pair joined the club at the same time and together won five Premier League titles, two FA cups, and the Champions League. City are typically pragmatic around signings, and proved last season that they can cope perfectly well without the German, but a homecoming for such a popular player in what could also be Guardiola’s last season in Manchester could certainly be tempting. The Athletic have also reported that City are interested in a move for their old captain.

However, Gündoğan’s departure is far from confirmed - manager Hansi Flick said recently that he had a feeling the midfielder would stay.