President Joan Laporta of Barcelona has responded to Ilkay Gundogan’s comments regarding his return to Manchester City.
Last month, Gundogan left Barcelona to rejoin Manchester City, just one year after departing the Premier League champions to join Camp Nou on a free transfer.
Upon returning to Manchester City, the German star said, “Now, leaving under these circumstances is tough, but if my departure can help the club financially, it makes me feel a bit better.”
However, Laporta has denied Gundogan’s claims that his departure was due to Barcelona’s financial issues. In a press conference on Tuesday, he stated: “Ilkay Gundogan is an outstanding player and person. The past year with him has been wonderful.
After discussions with Flick and evaluating the team situation, Gundogan decided he wanted to leave. That was entirely a sporting decision. With the addition of Dani Olmo, we now have a player who performs a similar role to Gundogan.
It was a decision made by both the player and the club. I have heard claims that it was a financial decision, but it was not. It was a sporting decision by Barcelona, Gundogan, and Manchester City as they brought him back. When Gundogan arrived, there was no transfer fee, and that is fair. While there was an economic impact, the primary reason was still the sporting decision.”
