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Ilkay Gundogan Set for Man City Return after Reportedly Agreeing to Leave Barcelona

Germany's midfielder #21 Ilkay Gundogan is pictured prior to the international friendly football match between Germany and Greece in Moenchengladbach, western Germany, on June 7, 2024. (AFP)
Germany's midfielder #21 Ilkay Gundogan is pictured prior to the international friendly football match between Germany and Greece in Moenchengladbach, western Germany, on June 7, 2024. (AFP)
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Ilkay Gundogan Set for Man City Return after Reportedly Agreeing to Leave Barcelona

Germany's midfielder #21 Ilkay Gundogan is pictured prior to the international friendly football match between Germany and Greece in Moenchengladbach, western Germany, on June 7, 2024. (AFP)
Germany's midfielder #21 Ilkay Gundogan is pictured prior to the international friendly football match between Germany and Greece in Moenchengladbach, western Germany, on June 7, 2024. (AFP)

Manchester City and Ilkay Gundogan look set to be reunited.

The former Germany midfielder was pictured at the airport on Wednesday and was reportedly catching a flight from Barcelona to Manchester to wrap up his return to City on a one-year deal, with the option of another 12 months.

Neither City nor Barcelona have commented publicly on any deal for the 33-year-old Gundogan.

Gundogan left City after the 2022-23 season, during which he was captain of the team that won the Premier League-FA Cup-Champions League treble. He spent seven years at the English club but decided to move to Barcelon a for a new challenge, and was one of Xavi Hernández’s favorite players during his sole season with the Catalan club.

But Barcelona’s delicate economic situation appears to have forced the new coach, Hansi Flick, to part ways with the veteran playmaker.

Gundogan’s exit should help Barcelona register new midfielder Dani Olmo, which it has so far been unable to do because of the Spanish league’s financial rules that make clubs balance expenditures on wages and transfers with available assets.

In addition to Olmo, Barcelona also has depth in the creative midfield positions with Pedri González, Frenkie de Jong, Fermin López and, once he recovers from his serious leg injury, Gavi Páez.

Gundogan was Germany's captain at the recent European Championship. He retired from international duty this week.

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Jannik Sinner Tested Positive for a Steroid Twice but Will Not be Suspended

Aug 19 2024; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Jannik Sinner of Italy kisses the Rookwood Cup trophy after winning the men’s singles final against Frances Tiafoe of the United States on day seven of the Cincinnati Open. Mandatory Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 19 2024; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Jannik Sinner of Italy kisses the Rookwood Cup trophy after winning the men’s singles final against Frances Tiafoe of the United States on day seven of the Cincinnati Open. Mandatory Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
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Jannik Sinner Tested Positive for a Steroid Twice but Will Not be Suspended

Aug 19 2024; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Jannik Sinner of Italy kisses the Rookwood Cup trophy after winning the men’s singles final against Frances Tiafoe of the United States on day seven of the Cincinnati Open. Mandatory Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 19 2024; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Jannik Sinner of Italy kisses the Rookwood Cup trophy after winning the men’s singles final against Frances Tiafoe of the United States on day seven of the Cincinnati Open. Mandatory Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports

Top-ranked tennis player Jannik Sinner tested positive twice for an anabolic steroid in March but will not be suspended because the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) determined the banned performance-enhancer entered his system unintentionally through a massage from his physiotherapist.
The ITIA announced the case's resolution on Tuesday and said Sinner will lose the $325,000 in prize money and 400 rankings points he earned at the tournament in Indian Wells, California, where his first positive drug test happened.
“I will now put this challenging and deeply unfortunate period behind me," Sinner said in a statement posted on social media. "I will continue to do everything I can to ensure I continue to comply with the ITIA's anti-doping (program) and I have a team around me that are meticulous in their own compliance.”
Sinner won the Cincinnati Open on Monday and will be among the favorites at the US Open, which starts in New York next week. Sinner made his debut at No. 1 in the ATP rankings in June and is considered among the top stars of the new generation in men’s tennis, along with Carlos Alcaraz.
Sinner, an Italian who turned 23 on Friday, won the Australian Open in January for his first Grand Slam title. He reached the semifinals at the French Open in June and the quarterfinals at Wimbledon in July, before sitting out the Paris Olympics, saying he had tonsilitis.
During the Indian Wells hard-court event in March, Sinner tested positive for low levels of a metabolite of Clostebol, a banned anabolic steroid that can be used for ophthalmological and dermatological use.
Sinner tested positive again eight days later in an out-of-competition sample.
He was provisionally suspended because of those test results, but he successfully appealed and was allowed to keep competing on tour.
According to The Associated Press, Sinner said his test results happened because his fitness trainer purchased an over-the-counter spray in Italy that contained Clostebol and gave it to Sinner's physiotherapist to treat a cut on the physiotherapist's finger. The physiotherapist then treated Sinner while not wearing gloves.
The ITIA said it accepted Sinner’s explanation and determined the violation was not intentional. An independent panel held a hearing on Aug. 15 and “determined a finding of No Fault or Negligence applied in the case, resulting in no period of ineligibility,” according to the ITIA.
ITIA CEO Karen Moorhouse said “Sinner and his representatives fully cooperated” with her group's “thorough investigation.”
The World Anti-Doping Agency and Italy's anti-doping body both are allowed to appeal the decision.
Because of the in-competition test result, Sinner must forfeit the ranking points and prize money he earned by reaching the semifinals at Indian Wells.
“We are encouraged that no fault or negligence has been found on Jannik Sinner’s part. We would also like to acknowledge the robustness of the investigation process and independent evaluation of the facts under the Tennis Anti-Doping Program (TADP), which has allowed him to continue competing,” the ATP Tour said in a statement. “This has been a challenging matter for Jannik and his team, and underscores the need for players and their entourages to take utmost care in the use of products or treatments. Integrity is paramount in our sport.”