Ilkay Gundogan has arrived in Manchester and is closing in on a surprise return to Manchester City.
The midfielder is set to return to Pep Guardiola’s side as he prepares to leave Barcelona after just one year at the club.
In a 50-minute meeting at Guardiola’s Tast Catala restaurant, the pair discussed the return of 33-year-old Gundogan to City.
Last year, Gundogan joined Barcelona on a two-year contract and made 51 appearances last season, scoring five goals.
Barcelona continue to struggle with financial problems and have been unable to sign new signing Dani Olmo following his move from RB Leipzig.
Ilkay Gundogan has arrived in Manchester with the intention of rejoining Pep Guardiola’s team
Gundogan is set to return to Manchester City after just one season as a Barcelona player
Gundogan attended a meeting with Pep Guardiola at the City manager’s Tast Catala restaurant
Gundogan’s departure alone would not be enough for Barcelona to sign Olmo but it would help Barça’s financial situation.
City, meanwhile, will be delighted to welcome Gundogan back to provide an extra option in midfield.
A highly-rated player by the City manager, Gundogan was Pep Guardiola’s first signing for the club in 2016.
During an illustrious initial spell at City that lasted eight years, Gundogan made 304 appearances in all competitions, while scoring 60 goals and providing 38 assists.
Gundogan won a variety of honours with City, including the Champions League, five Premier League titles, two FA Cups and four League Cups.
He captained City during their remarkable treble-winning 2022-23 campaign before his departure.
Gundogan is set to become City’s second summer signing following the arrival of Savinho from Troyes.
In 2022, Gundogan’s wife Sara Arfaoui complained about the food in Manchester, saying there are no good places to eat in the city.
Gundogan will reunite with Guardiola at City after a year away from the club.
In 2022, Gundogan’s wife Sara complained about restaurants in Manchester
However, more recently Sara said she was sad to be leaving Manchester.
Gundogan was the captain during City’s remarkable treble in the 2022-23 campaign
The model and TV presenter was born in France but moved to Italy as a child. On Instagram she wrote that she couldn’t find “a real Italian restaurant or good sushi or fresh food… everything frozen.”
She wrote: “I’m sorry, I feel sorry for you, but nothing. I tried really hard to find a good restaurant, but the food is horrible everywhere. I can’t find an authentic Italian restaurant, or good sushi, or fresh food…
‘Everything is frozen. Restaurants here are all about making money off of drinks and shots, like nightclubs, not quality food. Maybe in London, but in Manchester, nothing. Sorry.’
A manager at Guardiola’s Tast restaurant said they did not want to comment, saying: “We don’t want to get involved!”
More recently, Sara told Mail Sport earlier this year how much she missed life in Manchester.
“When I was in Manchester, my whole life (originally) revolved around football,” he said.
‘My friends were football, people I met through my husband, and then I didn’t have anything that was my world outside of that.
“I’m a people person, so it took me a little while, but I made friends and it was really nice.
“After making friends, I felt very happy. I had my own life and my own routine in Manchester and I have one of my best friends there.”
Speaking about the difficulty of swapping England for Spain, he added: ‘Over the years I’ve seen friends move.
‘It’s something that always happens in football and suddenly you get a phone call from them telling you they’re going to another country.
‘So, it’s always there, it’s always happening, but I didn’t imagine it would happen to us and when it happens to you it’s a big shock.
‘It’s always sad, especially because you make friends, you’re happy somewhere, you build your life and then you have to leave all the people you love.’