It will be hard to divert any Manchester City fan's attention from the team's treble charge ahead of Saturday evening's Champions League final against Inter Milan.
For City, it is a second shot at the one trophy that has eluded them since they were bought by Sheikh Mansour and the Abu Dhabi Group in 2008, after a disappointing defeat in the 2021 final against Chelsea.
After chasing down Arsenal in the Premier League, City ultimately cruised to a fifth title in six seasons, before a memorable FA Cup final victory over arch nemeses Manchester United.
That 2-1 victory at Wembley was sealed by two goals from Ilkay Gundogan, who has grown to become one of the most pivotal players in this Manchester City team since his arrival at the Etihad in 2016.
14 seconds. The fastest goal in FA Cup final history from Ilkay Gundogan 🤯 #FACupFinal pic.twitter.com/m0IBolaK2C
— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) June 3, 2023
Gundogan has become almost as important to this Manchester City team as Kevin de Bruyne or Rodri this season, not only acting as a pivotal player in City's intricate buildup, but also contributing ten goals from midfield this season.
His departure from the club appears to be imminent, however, and could be announced as soon as Saturday evening if reports in Spain are to be believed.
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Barcelona poised to announce signing of Ilkay Gundogan from Manchester City
Spanish media outlet Mundo Deportivo have suggested that Barcelona are preparing to announce the acquisition of Gundogan immediately after the final whistle in Saturday's Champions League final.
Gundogan is almost certain to be on the City teamsheet for their clash with Inter Milan in Istanbul, but it appears that that will not stop Barcelona from preparing their transfer announcement.
Mundo Deportivo's report states that it is the "objective" of Barcelona to announce the arrival of Gundogan as soon as his duties with Manchester City have concluded.
This follows previous reports from SPORT that Barcelona had convinced Gundogan to join the club this summer on a three-year deal. Conflicting reports, however, had suggested that both Arsenal and Saudi Pro League teams were also in the mix to sign Gundogan.
It is unlikely that Pep Guardiola or Manchester City will allow speculation such as this to affect their buildup to the Champions League final, but it is equally unlikely he will be happy to lose one of his most important players ahead of next season.
Manchester City face Inter Milan in the Champions League final in Istanbul on Saturday, with kick-off at 8pm Irish time.
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