Liverpool Transfer News: Thomas Tuchel Addresses Ilkay Gundogan Rumours

Borussia Dortmund manager Thomas Tuchel has admitted transfer interest in midfielder Ilkay Gundogan is complicating contract negotiations amid rumours Liverpool and Manchester United are both interested in the Germany international.

As reported by Metro's George Bellshaw, the Dortmund boss believes there's a “good chance” Gundogan extends his current deal, but transfer speculation is not helping his club.

He said: “I would like to tell you that he has extended until 2026, unfortunately that is not the case, but we are in talks. We have a good chance. The interest in Gundogan is great, which is why talks are not very easy.”

Oliver Kremer at Pixolli Studios/Getty Images

The 25-year-old and Dortmund have a rocky history, as he came very close to leaving the club before the start of the 2015-16 campaign. In April of last year, Die Schwarzgelben informed interested clubs he would not be signing a new deal, seemingly ending his tenure with the club after months of speculation, per BBC Sport.

Just a few months later, he opted to sign a new deal with the Bundesliga side.

In all likelihood, the extension came as a result of the back injury that forced him to miss the 2014 FIFA World Cup and diminished his value on the transfer market. By staying with Dortmund, Gundogan had the opportunity to rediscover his top form and show everyone he was still the same player he was before the injury.

Per Bleacher Report's Lars Pollmann, that's exactly what he did:

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Twenty-two games into the season, even his harshest critics, the fans who booed him and bashed him for what they perceived to be ungratefulness on various social media platforms, will have to agree that Gundogan's staying at Dortmund is one enormous piece of good fortune for the club.

Under new head coach Thomas Tuchel, Gundogan has rediscovered his form that put him in the cusp of world-class in his side's amazing run in the Champions League in the 2012/13 campaign. Now a year removed from a mysterious back injury that kept him off the pitch for 14 months between August 2013 and October 2014, the 25-year-old is perhaps Tuchel's most important midfielder.

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Gundogan's strong form in the 2015-16 campaign is obviously good news for Dortmund, but it has also reopened the door to a possible transfer. It shouldn't come as much of a surprise contract talks are perhaps not going as smoothly as the club would have hoped―Gundogan never made a secret of his desire to move to a different club in the past.

That stance is starting to annoy fans and pundits alike, including BVB blogger Sandra Goldschmidt:

If Gundogan does become available, there will likely be a long line of interested clubs trying to convince the pass wizard to join. Frequently compared to Barcelona legend Xavi, Gundogan boasts incredible vision and passing range, and he has the ability to orchestrate an entire team's attack from a deep midfield position.

Here's a look at some of his highlights:

Liverpool could use a player of his caliber, and due to the presence of his former manager, Jurgen Klopp, the Reds would have a massive advantage in negotiations. Since Klopp was the man who brought him to the Signal Iduna Park and made him into the player he is today, it stands to reason Gundogan would be open to the idea of a reunion.

All will depend on the ongoing contract negotiations, however, and it's important to remember Gundogan has been on the verge of leaving Dortmund in the past, only to go back to the club. Die Schwarzgelben have been in excellent form in 2015-16 and have a bright future―he may well opt to stick around for now.

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