August 13, (THEWILL) – Barcelona have successfully registered new signing, Ilkay Gundogan, with La Liga, overcoming the financial difficulties that had delayed the process since the German midfielder’s arrival last month.
The 32-year-old joined Barca on a free transfer after his contract with Manchester City expired. He captained the English club to Champions League glory last season. Initially, Gundogan’s registration was held up alongside other new signings and contract renewals due to Barcelona’s well-documented financial problems.
Gundogan’s contract included a termination clause if he was not registered for the season opener. However, the sale of Ousmane Dembele to Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday helped raise capital. The club has also sold a portion of Barca Studios to bring in further investment. This allowed La Liga to officially register Gundogan’s contract before the deadline.
Now an official member of the squad, Gundogan has been handed the number 22 shirt. “I still have a lot to prove,” he said upon signing in July. “When I spoke to [coach] Xavi, I knew Barcelona were on the right track.”
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
