Barcelona has stepped up their pursuit of adding pace, mobility and craft to their midfield by identifying Ilkay Gundogan as the new ‘Xavi’. The Blaugrana have set their sights on the future, by seeking a replacement for Xavi and sees the 23 year old as the ideal addition to lead the club into the future and hopefully get more success.
Barcelona has stepped up their pursuit of adding pace, mobility and craft to their midfield by identifying Ilkay Gundogan as the new ‘Xavi’. The Blaugrana have set their sights on the future, by seeking a replacement for Xavi and sees the 23 year old as the ideal addition to lead the club into the future and hopefully get more success.
Gundogan moved to Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2011 as a direct replacement for Nuri Sahin who moved to Real Madrid. He took a little while to settle in but as soon as he became familiar with his surroundings at the Signal Iduna Park, he showed exactly why Jurgen Klopp had chased his signature.
He has developed into one of the best midfield maestros in world football and in the process earning eight caps for Germany in a very competitive midfield.
Gundogan is a technically gifted player who has the ability to get past his opponents, dictate play, has a fantastic work rate and great mobility. His range of passing is one of the best in Europe and he is a player who gets the BVB team ticking, playing their slick passing and attractive attacking football.
Gundogan is also a target for English outfits Arsenal and Manchester United as well as Italian giants Juventus, so Barcelona won’t get a free run at the gifted young German starlet. Dortmund is also trying to keep their star midfielder but he has refused to sign a new contract. Surely Michael Zorc, Hans-Joachim Watzke and Jurgen Klopp will do all they can to keep hold of Gundogan.
Spanish newspaper AS has stated that Barcelona sent representatives to Germany in hope of getting negotiations on the way. Sporting director Andoni Zubizaretta has set his sights on bringing in Gundogan and Marc-Andre ter Stegen as he looks to freshen the Blaugrana squad.
Writer: Yashiema Love
Photo: Ilkay Gundogan (Getty Images)
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