Arsenal want to try and sign Barcelona target in the summer transfer window - Reports
According to reports, Arsenal are interested in signing Manchester City captain Ilkay Gundogan on a free transfer this summer.
The German's contract expires in June and he is believed to be keen on moving to Spain as Barcelona are monitoring his situation as well.
Gundogan was Pep Guardiola's first signing for the Cityzens when he arrived at the club in 2016. Since then, he has been a mainstay of the first team.
Manchester City could be willing to let club captain Ilkay Gundogan leave for free in the summer with the Premier League champions unwilling to hand the midfielder a two-year contract, with Arsenal interested. [@MirrorFootball] https://t.co/oHTTMcEqIj
Having already signed Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus from Manchester City, reports from Spanish newspaper Sport (via hitc.com) suggest Arsenal could approach the club for a third time. However, reports claim that Gundogan is leaning towards trying his hand at Spanish football, with Barcelona lurking.
The Gunners signed Jorginho from Chelsea in the January transfer window to add to their depth in midfield as they push for the Premier League title this season. Given their current position in the table, it is very likely Arsenal will play in the UEFA Champions League next season and will need further additions to compete at that level.
The German is seen as the ideal signing given his vast experience in the league. He could prove to be crucial in the rotation with the likes of Granit Xhaka and Jorginho. Having already worked with Mikel Arteta during the Spaniard's time as Manchester City assistant, the right offer could tempt Ilkay Gundogan into staying and continuing to ply his trade in English football.
Gundogan is currently on £165,000 per week at City and at 32, can still offer a lot in midfield. It remains to be seen what the player decides for his future.
Arsenal will look to progress to the Europa League quarter-finals
The Gunners have enjoyed an impressive run in the Europa League this season, finishing in first place in their group with 15 points. This led to direct qualification for the round of 16, where they were drawn against Ruben Amorim's Sporting Club de Portugal (Sporting), who dropped out of the Champions League.
The first leg in Portugal was pretty evenly matched as Sporting looked strong in front of their home support and even grabbed the lead twice. A goal from William Saliba and an own goal by Hidemasa Morita helped Arsenal secure a 2-2 draw away from home.
With Gabriel Jesus fit and ready to feature, Arteta's men will look to win and progress to the quarter-finals as they host Sporting at the Emirates Stadium later tonight.