Manchester City are working on a deal that could bring midfielder Ilkay Gundogan back to the club.
The 33-year-old left City for Barcelona in 2023 after captaining Pep Guardiola’s side to their historic Treble.
However, the Catalan giants’ well publicised financial issues have prevented them from registering new signing Dani Olmo and releasing one of their higher earners would smooth that process.
City are wrestling with early personnel issues that include the £81m departure of Argentina forward Julian Alvarez to Atletico Madrid and an injury to Norwegian winger Oscar Bobb that could keep him out for four months.
Gundogan could provide a short-term answer to these problems and would not require a settling in period.
Manager Pep Guardiola did not want Gundogan to leave City last year, but the club were unwilling to offer the German midfielder the contract length he wanted.
After joining City from Borussia Dortmund for a reported £20m in 2016, Gundogan made 304 appearances for the club, scoring 60 goals.
During seven years at Etihad Stadium he won 14 trophies – five Premier League titles, one Champions League, two FA Cups, four Carabao Cups and two Community Shields.