Barcelona have confirmed the signing of German midfielder Ilkay Gundogan on a free transfer after his contract with Manchester City ended.

The 32-year-old German midfielder has signed a two-year deal with an option to extend for another year and a $436 million release clause.

“He is bringing his presence, nose for goal and reading of the game which has made him one of the best midfielders of the past decade,” said Barcelona in a statement.

💙❤ @IlkayGuendogan is CULER! pic.twitter.com/DrbOOIMSLe

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) June 26, 2023

Since joining Pep Guardiola’s City team in 2016, Gundogan has been a key player. This season, as captain, he led the team to an amazing treble.

Guardiola said that City were trying to extend the midfielder’s contract after he scored twice in the FA Cup final win over rivals Manchester United.

Mateo Kovacic is about to sign a deal to join Manchester City from Chelsea. He will replace Ilkay Gundogan, who helped the club win five Premier League titles and their first-ever Champions League title this season.

Gundogan came to City from Borussia Dortmund, where in 2012 he won both the Bundesliga and the German Cup.

In Manchester, he played for City and scored 60 goals in 304 games.

The new player strengthens a midfield that already has a lot of options, like the young Spaniards Pedri and Gavi and the Dutchman Frenkie de Jong.

The team’s captain, Sergio Busquets, left at the end of his contract and signed with Inter Miami. However, the team’s coach, Xavi Hernandez, says the club still needs to sign a defensive midfielder.