Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has been linked with a move to Arsenal this summer. The Gunners are already planning for next season after securing Champions League football for the first time in six years. 

According to Football London, Gundogan wants a long-term contract at Manchester City, but the club is refusing his offer. Hence, the former Borussia Dortmund man could leave the Etihad Stadium for free. 

Arsenal are competing with FC Barcelona for the signature of Gundogan. The North London club recently announced the departure of Granit Xhaka at the end of this season. With Partey being injury prone since his move from Atletico Madrid, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta feels that he needs new faces to control matches in the middle of the park.

Like Arsenal, Barcelona are trying to replace their outgoing midfielder, Sergio Busquets, for next season. 

Arsenal signed two players from Manchester City last summer. They signed Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko, who have been instrumental in Arsenal’s magnificent Premier League season. It looks like Arteta could be adding a third City player to the squad.

Since his move to Manchester City in 2016, Gundogan has always played in between Fernandinho and De Bruyne in midfield. Then, he maintained that midfield position with Rodrigo as the holding midfielder. The Germany International has greatly influenced Pep Guardiola’s title-winning teams at Manchester City in the past decade.