Ilkay Gundogan rumoured for surprise return to Manchester City to address Pep Guardiola's midfield dilemma

Manchester City are rumored to be exploring the possibility of re-signing their former captain Ilkay Gundogan in a surprising move this month.

As part of a chaotic few days in Barcelona, Gundogan's stance appears to have shifted, after previously indicating his desire to remain in Catalonia and complete the final year of his contract.

Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick echoed that point, with the former Bayern Munich boss indicating his confidence of retaining the German international, amid links to the Turkish Super Lig.

Saudi Pro League giants Al Nassr are also rumoured to be plotting a move to pair Gundogan with Cristiano Ronaldo in Riyadh.

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As the saga develops, City are waiting to make their move, as Pep Guardiola considers a shock reunion with his former skipper as per The Athletic.

This question needs to be answered before City step up any potential interest in Gundogan. The 33-year-old joined Barcelona on a free transfer last summer, after leading City to a historic treble, including a first-ever UEFA Champions League title.

He signed a two-year deal in Catalonia, but Barcelona's ongoing financial issues mean the club are consistently aiming to reduce their salary bill, and offloading Gundogan would be a key saving.

Despite Flick's eagerness to retain Gundogan as the experienced fulcrum of his midfield, pressure from within could override his position, with fellow veteran Oriol Romeu already returning to Girona on loan.

Letting Gundogan leave could be a solid financial call for Barcelona, but it would dramatically reduce their level of experience, with five of their remaining seven midfielders aged 21 or under.

New signing Dani Olmo and the injury prone Frenkie de Jong would be the only seasoned operators in the engine room and that is a key concern for Flick.

Guardiola has opted for a low-key summer of transfer activity with Savinho's move from Troyes the only first team reinforcement.

However, the strategist in him knows the 2024/25 campaign could be the most physically and mentally punishing of his City tenure, with four competitions once again the horizon, followed by the FIFA Club World Cup next summer.

Guardiola has regularly bemoaned the game load placed on his squad, and on the back of a busy summer of Euro 2024 and Copa America action, he will be meticulous over managing game time.

Midfield lycnhpin Rodri missed their 2-0 EPL season opening win over Chelsea with a hamstring injury picked up in Spain's Euro 2024 final win over England.

Rodri has frequently called for a schedule reduction, with fatigue also playing a role in Guardiola's decision to hold him back, as Mateo Kovacic produced a superb stand-in performance at Stamford Bridge.

At the end of last season, Rodri's game tally hit 50, with Kovacic on 45, as Matheus Nunes remains unconvincing at the top level.

The knee-jerk reaction would be to opt for energy and endeavour to cover the games and ground which Rodri and Kovacic cannot, but Guardiola prefers control, and that's the role a returning Gundogan could be the perfect fit for.