Manchester City Star Expected to Snub Barcelona Approach & Pen New Deal at Etihad Stadium

Manchester City midfielder İlkay Gündoğan is expected to reject the chance to join Catalan giants Barcelona along with a host of other potential suitors and sign a new long-term contract with the Citizens, according to reports.

The Germany international still has two years left on his current deal at Etihad Stadium, having signed a four-year deal when he arrived from Borussia Dortmund for an estimated €27m back in 2016.

Boris Streubel/GettyImages

Although the 27-year-old hasn't shown any intentions of leaving Manchester City, it has been rumoured that Barcelona could look to sign Gündoğan as a way of bolstering their midfield, something which appears to be Barça's biggest concern right now.

However, a source close to the club claimed that it is expected Gündoğan will reject the chance to leave and join Barcelona, with the former Dortmund midfielder instead looking to sign a new deal in Manchester.

"İlkay is happy here and the club want to keep him," a source told the Sun. "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.

"There's still a couple of years left on his contract but he has been great since joining and it won't be long until it's all sorted we hope."

Gündoğan has made 69 appearances since joining Manchester City, scoring 11 goals and claiming 10 assists, and the German midfielder has largely shaken off his injury-prone reputation that first propped up during his time in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/GettyImages

When fit, Gündoğan walks into the Manchester City first squad, especially considering the absence of Kevin De Bruyne. The midfielder could even see his playing time increase as David Silva and Fernandinho enter the latter stages of their career.