Officials at Manchester City are said to be reluctant to hand club captain Ilkay Gundogan a brand new deal, according to a new report.
The Germany international midfielder is into the final months of his existing deal with the Premier League champions, and will be free to leave the club this summer, should an agreement over extended terms not be reached in the coming months.
, there is a certain element of hesitancy when it comes to the future of Ilkay Gundogan, both from the viewpoint of City officials themselves, and from the part of the 32 year-old – who realises that his next deal is likely to be his final big contract of his professional career.
In a fresh update to the situation concerning Ilkay Gundogan, the Mirror report that the Manchester City star – who was one of Pep Guardiola’s first signings in the summer of 2016 – is attracting interest from both Spain and Germany, with FC Barcelona known to be keen.
Simon Mullock writes, as part of a bumper update on the situation at the Etihad Stadium, that there is currently a ‘reluctance’ to hand Ilkay Gundogan the two-year extension he wants from his current employers.
Speaking during a recent press conference, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was quizzed on the future of his current club captain, to which he responded, “I know my opinion about Ilkay (Gundogan). Ilkay, what he has done against Aston Villa last season, he can do whatever he wants.”
“He has paradise already. He knows exactly my opinion about him, the club knows it, but it’s a question of the club and him, and his agent. Whatever is going to happen, I’m pretty sure it’s going to be good for him.”
“Really we want (him), for how he behaves, is behaving, all his life, all his period here in Manchester. But what’s going to happen, I’m sorry, these kind of things belong to the club and the player.”
Ederson reveals criticism from wife following poor Manchester City performances
Manchester City’s number one between the sticks Ederson has revealed receiving criticism from his wife during times of poor showings for the club.
The Manchester City goalkeeper has come under fire in recent weeks from supporters of the club, who have been critical of his inability to maintain clean sheets for Pep Guardiola’s side, despite his impeccable ability on the ball.
There is no doubt that Ederson’s ability with the ball at his feet makes him arguably the number one goalkeeper in world football, however some City fans believe that his shot-stopping credentials should call his place in the team into serious question.
Across Ederson’s 28 appearances in the Premier League so far this season, the Brazil international has kept eight clean sheets – placing him joint-fourth in the race for the Golden Glove, behind Nick Pope (12), David De Gea (10), and Aaron Ramsdale (9).
Speaking ahead of the Club’s UEFA Champions League last-16 first-leg clash with RB Leipzig in Germany this week, the Brazilian international has opened up on his personal life away from the football pitch, and the role his family plays in his own development.
“It’s (all about) family,” Ederson said. “When you are well at home, you’re well everywhere else. Sometimes when I’m sad after a match or I’ve had a bad game, I come home, my kids come to hug me, to play with me – and my wife comes to talk with me.”
The former Benfica stopper revealed that his wife plays an important role in providing him with the hard-hitting and honest truths on his performance, especially during times when he has not performed to the high levels that he sets himself.
The 29 year-old continued, “When she thinks she must scold me, she does; when she feels like making a compliment, she does that. That is very important, that we have open discussions. She is not the kind that goes, ‘Calm down, you’ll get it right in the next one.’”
“No, many times, she goes, ‘You should have done that, you should not have done what you did, you should not have conceded that goal.’ She helps me to see other aspects.”
“And my children are the most important part because they give me strength – they are my joy. They give my self-esteem a boost and that’s fundamental in my everyday life.”
Source: cityxtra.co.uk
