‘The club apparently had other plans’… Ilkay Gundogan opens up on his departure from Barcelona | OneFootball

FC Barcelona have been struggling with their finances for quite some time now, but this has not kept the Blaugrana club from reinforcing their team over the years.

For this purpose, one of the tools they have used is the signing of free agents, and the German midfielder Ilkay Gündoğan was one of the high-profile signings they made without paying any fee for him.

Ilkay Gundogan departs after a single season

The now-Manchester City midfielder arrived at the Catalan club back in 2023, and fit Xavi Hernandez’s Barcelona team like a glove. He scored 5 goals and provided 14 assists in 51 appearances for the Blaugrana side in the 2023-24 season.

Unfortunately, his stay at the Azulgrana club was limited to only one season, as he returned to Manchester City in 2024.

The midfielder opens up on his departure

As SPORT has reported, the veteran midfielder has now opened up on his departure from Barcelona, as he talked on this subject in a recent interview.

The German revealed that he left the Catalan club for financial reasons:

“I was originally signed as a player who would bring his experience to the team and the club… In the end, I thought it was better to leave; even within the club, I sensed that, despite what I considered a very decent season, they were in favor of it, mainly for economic reasons. And I’m not someone who’s going to stay just because of the contract to cause problems for anyone.”

Ilkay Gundogan during his time with Barcelona. [Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images]

Further commenting on his exit, Gundogan explained how he was expecting more from Hansi Flick and the club:

“Hansi and I have always gotten along very well, and after the holidays, I felt motivated to play with him again. I was expecting an intense exchange. But it didn’t happen… the club apparently had other plans. Not much came of it. Hansi, for example, contacted me on my birthday. That made me very happy. I sincerely congratulate him and the club on their current success.”

It is clear that Barcelona have not missed the German too much, as they have enjoyed a lot of success without him as well. Still, one cannot ignore that his only season in the Blaugrana team was quite a success, as he was one of the standout players that year.