Ilkay Gundogan’s move to Barcelona FC was a done deal. However, it was not until the days before the announcement that the player made his final decision. In the eleventh hour, Gundogan had been mulling over this momentous decision, and multiple options were on his table, and the ups and down made him think more about the decision he would take. He had the option of staying at Manchester United with Pep Guardiola at the controls, the captain’s armband on his arm, and on the other hand, he received an offer that, in financial terms, was 2m euros a year more than Barcelona’s.
However, despite these, the Catalan giants Barcelona’s try along with Xavi’s persuading, didn’t go in vain as best he knows how, were telling Gundogan exactly what he wanted to hear. Apart from these, Gundogan also had Saudi Arabia’s millions and a contract worth 105m euros spread over three seasons.
And, finally, two other historic clubs, Arsenal and PSG, were keen, although the latter’s option fell through when Julian Nagelsmann’s arrival on the bench was ruled out. With all these options on the table, Gundogan decided to postpone any decision until the end of the season.
Gundogan rejecting the mouth-watering amount to Saudi Arabia
Though it is certainly a thing of surprise than he rejected the massive amount of money of Saudi Arabia, and he didn’t even go to any sort of negotiation as well. The first proposal he discarded was the one from Saudi Arabia because Gundogan felt he had the ability to stay in Europe at the highest level. So discarding all the fellow offers, with Gudogan now being in Barcelona, it is to be seen how he showcases his efficiency at Los Blaugrana.
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