Manchester City captain Ilkay Gundogan will join Barcelona on a free transfer when his contract expires at the end of this month according to the BBC.

Gundogan, 32, was offered a new contract by City but is thought to have negotiated a more lucrative three-year deal with the Spanish champions.

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City boss Pep Guardiola was keen to keep Gundogan, who was integral to the club winning the Treble this season.

“Ilkay is a very important player for us and we would have liked to keep him,” Guardiola said earlier this month. “But he has decided to move on and we wish him all the best.”

Gundogan’s influence was crucial in the closing weeks of City’s season with six goals in his final seven games, including a double in the 2-1 FA Cup final win over Manchester United.

He played 90 minutes in the Champions League final as City beat Inter Milan 1-0 to add to their Premier League and FA Cup triumphs this season.

“Ilkay has been a fantastic player for us,” Guardiola said. “He has been a key part of our success over the past few years and we will miss him.”

Gundogan joined City from Borussia Dortmund for a reported £20m in 2016 and made 304 appearances for the club, scoring 60 goals.

During his seven years at Etihad Stadium he has won 14 trophies – five Premier League titles, one Champions League, two FA Cups, four Carabao Cups and two Community Shields.

He was made club captain at the start of 2022-23 following the departure of Brazil midfielder Fernandinho.

“I am very happy to be joining Barcelona,” Gundogan said. “It is a great club with a rich history and I am looking forward to the challenge of playing in La Liga.”