Report: Manchester City could let £140,000-a-week superstar leave for free amid Arsenal links

Manchester City could be willing to let club captain Ilkay Gundogan leave for free in the summer with the Premier League champions unwilling to hand the midfielder a two-year contract, with Arsenal interested.

According to the Mirror, the Manchester giants are not sold on awarding the German international a new contract that is longer than two years, with the £140,000-a-week maestro’s current deal set to expire at the end of this season amid growing transfer interest.

As per the report, Gundogan is on the radar for clubs in Germany and Spain, with Fabrizio Romano reporting last year that Arsenal are also interested in the 32-year-old, with Mikel Arteta seemingly eyeing another City swoop to add to Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko.

Whilst a move to north London seems unlikely at this stage, City not offering Gundogan a new contract that will extend his deal for two years could be a massive mistake for Pep Guardiola’s side, with the midfielder one of the most important players at the club.

Indeed, Gundogan has been key in the last two seasons in guiding City to the Premier League title. And with the Manchester side now not willing to extend the midfielder’s contract by two years, the Etihad Stadium giants could be shooting themselves in the foot.

Moreover, with transfer interest from Germany, Spain and Arsenal, Gundogan won’t be short of suitors in the summer if City make the incredible decision to allow their club captain to leave for nothing when he is arguably at the peak of his career.

Gundogan has been one of City’s best players in the Guardiola era of the club, and whilst it makes sense why the Manchester side have reservations about offering a 32-year-old a two-year contract extension, the midfielder is simply too good to allow to walk for nothing.

With rivals also interested in Gundogan, City will be keeping their squad strong whilst also robbing the opportunity for an Arsenal to sign the midfielder for free, a move that Arteta could realistically make given just how good the Germany international still is.