Man City transfer news: Ilkay Gundogan, Ruben Neves, Douglas Costa
Germany international Gundogan set to reject Barcelona interest
Gundogan going nowhere
There is good news for Manchester City fans today, with The Sun reporting that Ilkay Gundogan will “reject Barcelona interest” and pledge his loyalty to the Premier League champions.
The German international has two years to run on his current City deal, and he’s ready to sit down with officials to
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Barcelona and AC Milan circling
The main issue is likely to be wages. The Sun reports that the 27-year-old playmaker is currently earning £90,000 a week and is seeking a pay hike.
Barcelona have been circling with the promise of a bumper deal, and there is also interest from AC Milan and a “number of clubs in the Bundesliga”.
But Gundogan is settled in Manchester under manager Pep Guardiola, according to the newspaper. A City insider said: “Ilkay is happy here and the club want to keep him. There is interest in him but it is expected he will stay… he loves playing under Pep, but who wouldn’t? He also enjoys living in Manchester and the city and club as a whole.”
Talks are expected to start in the autumn, with City hoping to have successfully concluded a new deal by the end of the year.
Wolves bare their teeth
The Manchester Evening News (MEN) has an update on rumours of Ruben Neves moving to Manchester in January.
The Wolves midfielder has been linked to both City and Manchester United, and a bidding war is expected in the new year.
The newspaper claims that Guardiola has “earmarked the 21-year-old as a January target, having missed out on Jorginho and Fred in the summer”, and that United boss Jose Mourinho also likes the look of the 21-year-old Portuguese playmaker.
£60m or shut it
But Wolves are highly protective of Neves, who only recently signed a new five-year deal with them. The MEN says it will “cost a minimum of £60m to prise him away from Molineux”.
That sounds like an attempt to call the bluff of the Manchester pair, given that Neves cost Wolves a mere £15.8m when they signed him from Porto in the summer of 2017.
Costa clash
Meanwhile, Caught Offside reports that City and United are also set for a scrap over Douglas Costa, the Juventus winger who has been impressing for the Serie A champions recently.
Italian media outlets say that the two Manchester clubs are ready to “explore the possibility of signing him next year”, with the Brazilian international keen to test himself in the Premier League.
United believe they are in the driving seat as they could offer former Juve midfielder Paul Pogba in return for Costa.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
The influencer court case shaking up social media
Under The Radar TikTok star accuses her rival of stealing her beige 'aesthetic' but are there shades of grey in US copyright law?
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
What is Mitch McConnell's legacy?
Talking Point Moving on after a record-setting run as Senate GOP leader
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
'A man's sense of himself is often tied to having a traditionally masculine, physical job'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
The wit and wisdom of Sven-Göran Eriksson
In Depth The first foreign coach to manage England on football, life and death
By The Week Staff Published
-
The Premier League's spending cap: levelling the playing field?
Talking Point Top clubs oppose plans to link spending to income of lowest-earning club, but rule could prevent success gap from widening
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Is a new English football regulator an own goal for the game?
Talking Point PM hails 'historic moment for football fans' but West Ham owner warns it could 'ruin' Premier League
By The Week UK Published
-
2023-2024 Premier League predictions: champions, relegation and golden boot
feature A look at the top flight talking points and pundit picks for the new season
By Mike Starling Published
-
‘Genuine visionary’: is Pep Guardiola the greatest of all time?
feature Spaniard has now won two trebles following Man City’s Champions League triumph
By The Week Staff Published
-
Champions League final: Man City vs. Inter predictions and preview
feature Can Guardiola’s team finally win the Champions League and complete a historic treble?
By Mike Starling Last updated
-
Man City: can ‘one of the best sides in history’ win the treble?
feature Guardiola’s Premier League champions have two more trophies in their sights
By The Week Staff Published
-
Premier League: Man City vs. Arsenal predictions
feature What the pundits say about tonight’s title race showdown at the Etihad
By Mike Starling Last updated