Arsenal backed to finalise Ilkay Gundogan signing after ‘unbelievable’ claim – pundit
Alan Hutton has suggested Man City would let Ilkay Gundogan join Arsenal this summer.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former Tottenham and Aston Villa defender said Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Grealish and Erling Haaland are among the few players Pep Guardiola wouldn’t be willing to lose.
According to The Times (22 May), the Gunners have moved to try and sign Gundogan on a free transfer in an effort to add goalscoring players to his midfield.
The 32-year-old is out of contract next month but the Sky Blues are expected to offer him an extension.
Arteta is no stranger to signing his former boss’ players and the arrivals of Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko helped his side mount an impressive title challenge against City.
When asked if Guardiola would be willing to sell more players to Arsenal since they beat the Gunners to the league title, Hutton told Football Insider: “I think with Pep and how he looks at it is does the player want to leave? If the answer is yes, on you go then.
“Whether it is Arsenal or someone else, it does not matter who it is, if the player wants to move on they will.
“Look at [Joao] Cancelo, an outstanding player, I know it is only on loan but he did not wnt to be there so he left.
“[Raheem] Sterling wanted a change, away to Chelsea. It does not really matter who it is.
“He always seems to have a plan, is always three or four steps ahead of everybody in terms of tactics, players, everything.
“His football knowledge and brain is just unbelievable. I do not think he will worry too much about it.
“The likes of De Bruyne, Jack, Haaland, he obviously would not let them go. But if there is a fringe player that wants to leave he will not stand in their way, no matter what club it is.“
In other news, Burnley plot loan-to-buy midfielder signing from Arsenal.