Saudi Arabian club make mammoth offer to sign Barcelona target: Reports
Saudi Pro League champions Al-Ittihad have made a mammoth offer to sign Barcelona target Ilkay Gundogan, according to a report from SPORT.
Ilkay Gundogan's contract with Manchester City is set to expire at the end of the month. The 32-year-old has made it clear that he would reach a decision on his future at the end of the season.
The Germany international started in Manchester City's historic 1-0 win against Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League final on Saturday (June 10). Gundogan has had a sensational season and has helped the Sky Blues win the treble for the first time in the club's history.
The Manchester City midfielder has made 51 appearances in all competitions, scoring 11 goals and providing seven assists. One side that is interested in acquiring his services this summer is Barcelona.
The La Liga champions have reportedly reached a verbal agreement with Gundogan for a three-year deal. However, due to financial issues, they cannot guarantee his registration with the club, which is the main reason why the German hasn't given the green light yet.
Another stumbling block for the Blaugrana is Al-Ittihad's interest in Gundogan. The Saudi Pro League champions have already signed Karim Benzema and have reportedly submitted a tempting offer to recruit the Manchester City star.
Gundogan's other options are re-signing with the Cityzens or re-joining Borussia Dortmund to replace Jude Bellingham in their squad.
However, Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez is keen on recruiting Gundogan. The Blaugrana will be hoping the German acts upon his family's reported desire to live in Spain for the next few years.
Carlos Tevez reveals why Lionel Messi joined Inter Miami instead of Barcelona
Carlos Tevez has revealed why Lionel Messi chose to join MLS side Inter Miami instead of re-joining Barcelona. The former Manchester United star believes it was to avoid being depicted as the "bad guy" amid the Blaugrana's financial struggles.
Lionel Messi announced he would be leaving Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at the end of the season as a free agent. The Spotify Camp Nou faithful were hopeful the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner would make a fairytale return to Catalunya.
However, after weeks of negotiations, Messi decided to join Inter Miami. Carlos Tevez explained this move to ESPN. He said (via GOAL):
“It seems to me that Leo took the decision knowing and understanding his own situation. He didn’t want to go back to Barcelona and have his team-mates lower their salaries and be the bad guy again."
He added:
"I think what he did was the right thing to do. If it wasn’t Barcelona, where he knew he was going to be the centre of attraction again, it was nothing in Europe. The decision was very well made.”
Lionel Messi established himself as one of the greatest players of all time during his 16 years at Camp Nou. He scored 672 goals in 778 appearances and won 34 major trophies for the Blaugrana.