Ilkay Gundogan is reportedly the “obvious” candidate to depart Manchester City this summer, despite expressing a desire to remain at the Etihad, according to City insider Steven McInerney from Esteemed Kompany.
Gundogan, 34, recently saw his contract extended until 2026 via an automatic clause, but his long-term future remains uncertain. Turkish giants Galatasaray are strongly linked with the Germany international and are believed to have reached a personal agreement with him.
Although Gundogan still holds the trust of Pep Guardiola — and even scored twice in City’s 6-0 FIFA Club World Cup win over Al-Ain — McInerney believes that a squad reshuffle makes his exit all but inevitable.
“Gundogan has been fantastic, but there’s a squad overload,” McInerney told Sports Mole. “It’s the right time to move him on.”
City’s midfield now features new signing Tijjani Reijnders, Rodri, Mateo Kovacic, Bernardo Silva, Nico Gonzalez, Matheus Nunes, and emerging prospects like Nico O’Reilly. With the departure of Kevin De Bruyne already confirmed, Guardiola is still seeking to streamline his squad.
“Mistakes were made in the past leaning too heavily on sentimentality and older players,” said McInerney. “City must now focus on the future.”
Gundogan returned to Manchester last year after a difficult spell at Barcelona. During his original seven-year stint at City, he won 14 trophies and captained the side to their first Champions League title in 2023. While his leadership and fitness remain assets, the emergence of younger midfielders has created fierce competition.
McInerney noted that Guardiola still values Gundogan’s quality and decision-making, especially in big matches, but acknowledged that his role is likely to diminish with Rodri back from injury and Reijnders expected to form a new core in midfield.
“With Rodri and Reijnders, you don’t need three players to do the job of two,” he added. “Players like Rayan Cherki can now focus on creativity — what Gundogan used to offer.”
Despite being second only to Josko Gvardiol in appearances last season, Gundogan’s presence in the starting XI may decline as City prepare for the future. Kovacic could also be moved on if a suitable offer arrives, but for now, Gundogan appears to be the most likely to leave.
If Galatasaray can finalize terms with City, the veteran midfielder could soon be heading for a new challenge — potentially ending a celebrated chapter in Manchester with one final graceful exit.