Stunning Ilkay Gundogan deal could unlock transfer plan - and Man City have perfect Barca leverage

You will struggle to find a Manchester City fan who doesn't want Ilkay Gundogan back.

On top of him being a lovely person who made himself a part of the local community for seven years, he was a wonderful footballer who rescued Pep Guardiola's side from gifting Liverpool another Premier League title in 2022 and then captained them to the Treble in 2023. He was missed on and off the pitch last season when the club were too late in their negotiations to keep him, and City have still not found anyone who possesses his tempo and goalscoring knack.

Even taking the emotions out of it - for that is what City's recruitment team do on a daily basis - there is precedent for going back. It stung not to sign Aymeric Laporte in 2016 when the player opted out of the chance to be part of Pep Guardiola's revolution on the ground floor, but the club still went back for him in January 2018 after choosing not to match Liverpool for Virgil Van Dijk.

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Turning 34 in October, Gundogan is hardly the age profile City would be looking for in any signings. However, putting that to one side every other word from Guardiola's recent comments on the type of player they are looking for describe Gundogan perfectly.

He wouldn't cost loads because Barcelona seemingly want rid of him after just one season despite him being one of their best players. In the last 12 months, he showed that the elite mentality has not disappeared with the German unafraid to be critical of himself and his teammates even if it upset anyone.

Then there is the positional