Arsenal Transfer News: Ilkay Gundogan Race Heating Up, Latest Rumours

Borussia Dortmund star Ilkay Gundogan continues to be linked with a summer transfer, and the latest rumours suggest Manchester City will provide Arsenal with plenty of competition for their reported target.

According to MailOnline's Simon Jones, the Citizens are now the favourites to land the Germany international, with the likes of Juventus and Barcelona also expressing an interest. Per the report, Gundogan has turned down a contract extension, with his current deal set to expire in 2017.

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Dortmund manager Thomas Tuchel recently said transfer interest from abroad was complicating negotiations with Gundogan, so Dortmund are well aware several clubs are trying to move for the pass wizard, per Metro's George Bellshaw.

German daily Bild thinks there are three realistic options for Gundogan next summer, and they don't include Arsenal (h/t Sky Sports' Alex Chaffer):

The 25-year-old has been with Die Schwarzgelben since 2011, but his relationship with the club has been rocky at best. Previous contract negotiations with Dortmund went so badly that the club even announced he wouldn't be signing a new deal at all in 2015, per BBC Sport.

He ended up putting pen to paper a few months later, but a split has seemed likely ever since.

Unlike some of his team-mates, Gundogan hasn't appeared fully committed to his current club in some time, and fans don't like it one bit. Dortmund blogger Sandra Goldschmidt voiced what many are likely thinking:

At his best, Gundogan is capable of pulling the strings in midfield like few others. He's a typical orchestrator at the base of midfield, using his vision and passing abilities to set up the attack. But unlike other orchestrators, like Andrea Pirlo, Gundogan has enough athleticism to be a factor further up the pitch as well.

Take a look at some of the best goals he's scored in the Bundesliga throughout his career, and you'll notice that he tends to penetrate the box at key times if needed:

Gundogan won't load up the stat sheet like compatriot Mesut Ozil, but as a distributor in midfield, he can play a major role for any team.

According to Wayne Veysey of Football Insider, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is planning to make some major changes to his midfield, with the likes of Mikel Arteta, Mathieu Flamini and Tomas Rosicky all set to depart when their deals expire.

Those departures would open the door for a handful of new arrivals, including Gundogan, who would likely replace Santi Cazorla in Wenger's preferred starting XI.

It will take some effort to beat Manchester City in the race to land his services, however, and Bleacher Report's Dean Jones thinks he would be a marvellous fit under incoming manager Pep Guardiola:

Per Stephan Uersfeld of ESPN FC, Dortmund have rejected Spanish rumours that suggested Gundogan has already agreed to a move to the Etihad Stadium, and unless the midfielder signs a new deal with Die Schwarzgelben, the Sky Blues are likely to at least enquire about Gundogan once the summer transfer window opens.

Dortmund are unlikely to deny Gundogan the chance to move abroad if he doesn't sign a new deal, knowing full well they would risk losing him for free the following season.

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