Manchester City made headlines this summer by re-signing Ilkay Gundogan on a free transfer, just a year after he had controversially joined Barcelona on similar terms.
Barcelona’s president, Joan Laporta, has responded to Gundogan’s recent remarks about his brief stint in Spain. Gundogan had departed City last summer after the club delayed meeting his contract demands, opting instead to join Barcelona. However, after only one season, he returned to City, reportedly due to concerns over his playing time under Barcelona’s new manager, Hansi Flick.
Gundogan hinted that his departure from Barcelona was influenced by the club’s need to register new signing Dani Olmo, stating: “Now I am leaving in a difficult situation, but if my departure can help the club financially, it makes me a bit less sad.”
Laporta, however, refuted any suggestion that financial issues were behind Gundogan’s exit. He praised Gundogan, saying, “Ilkay Gündogan is an excellent player and person. The year we have had with him has been fantastic.” According to Laporta, Gundogan’s departure was purely a “sporting decision” made after discussions with manager Hansi Flick, who assessed the squad and decided to let him go. He also mentioned that Dani Olmo, who plays a similar role, influenced the decision, but it was all based on sporting reasons, not financial ones.
Laporta further clarified why Barcelona allowed Gundogan to leave despite his contract including a hefty €400 million release clause. “At the time, Gündo came without a transfer fee and it was only fair that there was no transfer fee,” Laporta explained, emphasizing that the decision was driven by sporting factors, not financial necessity.
Additionally, Laporta addressed the situation regarding Joao Cancelo, who spent last season on loan at Barcelona and expressed a desire to stay. Laporta revealed that Barcelona had considered re-signing Cancelo, but ultimately, the club’s Sporting Director Deco and manager Hansi Flick decided against it, preferring not to include him or Joao Felix in this season’s squad. Cancelo has since moved to Al Hilal for £21 million, while Felix joined Chelsea.
Laporta maintained that these decisions were also based on sporting considerations, rather than financial constraints.
