Sam Allardyce has said Manchester City cannot afford to be losing Ilkay Gundogan this summer.
The midfielder is currently gearing up to play one final game this season – against Inter in the Champions League final on Saturday.
And quite possibly, it could be Gundogan’s final appearance for City.
That’s because his current deal expires this summer.
There has been a lot of talk recently about whether he will be signing an extension.
It was claimed recently that City have offered a contract that is longer than one year. But it has also been suggested that Barcelona have agreed a deal to land him.
All will become clear in the days and possibly weeks after the Champions League final.
But at this point, you will be hard pressed to find a City fan that doesn’t hope Gundogan stays at the Etihad. The German maestro has had another sensational season for City, and played a crucial role in the two trophies won so far.
In the eyes of Allardyce, the club simply cannot lose him this summer. He said on the Tippy Tappy Football podcast: “The quality of the (first) goal (from Gundogan vs Manchester United), the quality of the finish. Just outstanding. I don’t think they can afford to let him go. My first game with Leeds, he scored two.
“He just pops up, the timing of his runs in that area. He’s a wonderful finisher.”
Former Premier League manager Tim Sherwood added that Gundogan is a ‘big game player’.
Manchester City probably can’t afford to lose Ilkay Gundogan, as Sam Allardyce says
It’s a fair comment from Allardyce, who got to see Gundogan’s quality up close when he faced City as Leeds boss last month.
The £140,000-a-week ace is just a quality footballer, who is showing no signs of slowing down.
The remarkable thing about Gundogan is that he has the intelligence to play any role in midfield to the highest possible standard.
It doesn’t matter where Pep asks him to play – he will perform.
But of course his specialty is arriving in the box late and scoring goals. He is a bit like a modern-day Frank Lampard.
Hopefully after the Champions League final, he will extend his contract and City fans can finally relax.
