Barcelona give up on Bernardo Silva and make Manchester City teammate primary target for January transfer window - Reports

Barcelona have reportedly shifted their focus to Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan from Bernardo Silva as a potential permanent arrival in the upcoming winter transfer window.

Gundogan, 32, has been a crucial member of Pep Guardiola's side since arriving from Borussia Dortmund for £20 million in the summer of 2016. He has helped his current club lift a total of 11 trophies during his time at the Etihad Stadium, including four Premier League titles.

A box-to-box midfielder renowned for his passing and work rate, the German has netted 51 goals and laid out 35 assists in 273 overall matches for Manchester City. However, with his contract set to expire in June 2023, his future is currently considered up in the air.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona have identified Gundogan as one of their top midfield targets in January due to his current contract situation. The Blaugrana have opted to stop pursuing Silva as the Portuguese is considered to be vital to Guardiola's plans.

Despite Gundogan's interest in Barcelona, a potential deal is believed to be far-fetched as he is still an important member of the Cityzens' dressing room. He has registered two goals and two assists in 20 appearances across all competitions in the ongoing campaign.

Speaking to Sport1 (via SportsMole), Gundogan recently opened up on his future in Manchester and his potential destinations. He elaborated:

"Because of my roots, Turkey is naturally interesting. I also like the USA, I've been there on vacation several times. I still have a contract in Manchester until 2023, I'm very happy there, both in sporting and private terms, and I can imagine ending my career with City."

Barcelona, on the other hand, have also been linked with a host of midfielders in Europe. Real Sociedad's Martin Zubimendi, Chelsea's Jorginho, Wolverhampton Wanderers' Ruben Neves, and Leicester City's Youri Tielemans are on their radar, as per Mundo Deportivo.

Barcelona interested in signing 28-year-old Manchester City defender: Reports

As per SPORT, Barcelona are interested in acquiring the services of Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte in January to fill the void left after the retirement of club legend Gerard Pique.

The Blaugrana were initially keen to sign Athletic Bilbao defender Inigo Martinez on a free transfer next summer. However, Laporte has popped up on their transfer wishlist due to his favorable age.

Laporte, 28, has been a successful defender for Manchester City since his arrival from Athletic Bilbao for £57 million in the winter of 2018. He has contributed 12 goals and four assists in 163 overall games for his current club, lifting a total of nine trophies in the process.