Arsenal’s interest in Manchester City midfielder, Ilkay Gundogan, was met with disappointment as he’s now set to join Barcelona.

• Ilkay Gundogan, treble-winning captain of Manchester City, has chosen to sign with Barcelona, leaving Arsenal disappointed.
• The German international, Guardiola’s first signing at City, preferred Barcelona’s three-year offer over City’s and Arsenal’s contract options.
• Arsenal and Bayern Munich missed out on securing Gundogan’s talents.

Gundogan heads for Barcelona, snubs Arsenal

Ilkay Gundogan, Manchester City’s highly accomplished midfielder, has decided to join Barcelona, according to ManchesterWorld.

This comes as a blow to Arsenal who were eager to bring the German international to the Emirates.

Interest from Arsenal overlooked

Reports suggest that Arsenal were keen to sign Gundogan, yet the City midfielder opted for a move to Spain, leaving the North London side to explore other options in the transfer market.

Gundogan’s move to Barcelona emphasises the appeal of the Spanish giants and their capacity to secure key signings.

Gundogan’s City journey ends

The departure of Gundogan marks the end of a successful period at Manchester City.

The German midfielder, Guardiola’s first signing at City, led the team to numerous titles, including the Champions League crown just two weeks ago.

Guardiola’s wishes disregarded

Despite Pep Guardiola and several City players expressing their desire for Gundogan to stay at the Etihad, the midfielder chose to move on.

Guardiola praised Gundogan after the FA Cup final win, saying, “He’s an exceptional player and hopefully we can finish it [contract talks] in a good way.”

Barcelona’s contract trumps Arsenal’s offer

Spanish media outlet, Revelo, reported that Gundogan preferred Barcelona’s three-year offer over the options presented by City and Arsenal.

At 31, Gundogan may have been influenced by the prospect of longer contract security with Xavi’s side.

Impact on Arsenal’s transfer strategy

The decision by Gundogan may have considerable implications for Arsenal. The Gunners’ interest in the City midfielder points towards their intention to bolster their midfield options.

With Gundogan’s decision, Arsenal will need to revise their transfer strategies. So far,  are close to signing Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber and have found agreement with Chelsea over the transfer of Kai Havertz.