Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta sees Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan as a potential replacement for Granit Xhaka.
Speculation continues to swirl about the German midfielder’s future.
Gundogan’s contract at City expires this summer, and it’s very possible he could be departing.
There are talks at the moment, but no agreement has been reached.
He has been interest from Barcelona, who have long admired the 32-year-old and believe he is very underrated.
There have also been mentions for the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich.
But just lately, Arsenal have been mentioned as a possibility, with Arteta having obviously worked with Gundogan at the Etihad.
The Athletic reported this morning that Arsenal have ‘concrete interest’ in Gundogan, with Arteta driving that interest.
The Spaniard is said to see Gundogan as an ideal replacement for Xhaka should he leave the Emirates this summer. The Switzerland international reportedly has interest from Bayer Leverkusen.
£120,000-a-week star Xhaka will only have one year left on his contract this summer.
So it is within Arsenal’s interest to sell if a decent offer comes in.
Ilkay Gundogan going to Arsenal would not be ideal for Manchester City
One wonders just how tempted Gundogan would be to work with Arteta again.
Ideally, he will not take the same route as Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus.
Gundogan , who was signed for £20 million, still has serious quality and would strengthen the Gunners considerably. At the moment, they just don’t have a player like him.
So City need to continue working away to try and reach an agreement with the player to sign a new contract.
It would be a huge shame to see him depart when he still clearly has plenty to offer.
