Manchester City will not sell Ilkay Gundogan this summer even if he leaves the club for nothing at the end of next season, reports The Sun.
Gundogan has entered the final 12 months of his existing contract and has so far proved unwilling to renew with the club.
Pep Guardiola’s side are hopeful Gundogan will put pen to paper on a new long-term deal and have ruled out his departure.
Gundogan was nailed on to leave midway through the season but had a change of heart towards the end of the season after developing into one of City’s best players.
The Germany international added an extra layer of defensive qualities during the season’s conclusion to fill Fernandinho’s role with aplomb.
City’s policy is to cash in on players who enter the final 12 months of their contract but are willing to make an exception with Gundogan.
As Gundogan only cost City £21m in 2016, the Premier League champions would not deem it a huge financial loss if the 28-year-old left for nothing.
Only Kyle Walker (1854) featured in more minutes (1831) than Gundogan of City outfielders from the start of February to the end of the season in all competitions.
In that time, Gundogan garnered the fifth highest WhoScored rating of City players in the Premier League (7.45).
