According to reports from Sky Sports this afternoon, Borussia Dortmund’s hierarchy remain hopeful in-demand midfielder Ilkay Gundogan will extend his contract past the end of next season.
The German international rejected the opportunity to pen extended terms earlier this season, generating interest from a number of top European clubs – including Arsenal Manchester City and Manchester United, as This Is Futbol revealed in April.
Previously, Dortmund were widely expected to cash in on the 24 year-old rather than run the risk of losing him for free in a year’s time, with the Bundesliga club reportedly willing to ‘listen to offers‘.
But recent developments may have caused a change of heart. As This Is Futbol revealed earlier this month, Barcelona and Bayern Munich were both believed to be in talks with Gundogan but ended them after hearing his wage demands.
And with the likes of Southampton’s Morgan Schneiderlin and Juventus star Paul Pogba up for grabs this summer, he’s by no means the only midfielder on the radars of Arsenal, City and United.
And according to Sky Sports, Dortmund are now hopeful the 5 foot 11 midfielder will decide to extend his stay with the Black-Yellows after all.
“Maybe there is still a chance that he has a rethink,” Dortmund general manager Hans-Joachim Watzke told German newspaper WAZ. “We are in talks and Ilkay is a decent lad.”