Ex-Barcelona manager certain club should not have signed Gundogan

Barcelona legend and former manager Ronald Koeman has criticised the club’s signing of former Manchester City captain Ilkay Gundogan after the German midfielder became the club's first summer signing. 

Gundogan joined the Blaugrana on a free transfer after his Manchester City contract expired in the summer, bringing a wealth of experience to Barcelona after a trophy-laden seven years at the Etihad Stadium that ended with the treble in 2023. 

Despite the midfielder’s quality, Koeman has still been unimpressed with the signing, claiming the club signed Gundogan at the wrong time in his career. 

Koeman, who played for Barcelona for six years between 1989 and 1995 and coached the club from 2020 to 2021, mentioned during his tenure as a manager that the club had too many old and young players, but not enough players at their peak, and he reiterated that belief using Gundogan’s signing as an example. 

The former defender, who currently works as manager of the Netherlands national team was quoted by Spanish news outlet Marca saying, “Gundogan is a great player, but he should have been signed earlier in his career. 

“For a club that’s looking to the future… these are signings for the next two or three years.”

“He’s a great professional but it’s short term. You cannot sign two or three players at these ages every season, you have to work to the future. Signing a 22-year-old player is better than one of 33 or 34.”

Barcelona hopes that Gundogan, who turns 33 in October, can defy their former manager and improve the side with his experience after the Blaugrana lost two veteran figures in Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba this summer.