Football
Stephan Uersfeld, Germany correspondent 8y

Borussia Dortmund demand Ilkay Gundogan decides future

Borussia Dortmund have told Manchester City target Ilkay Gundogan to either sign a long-term contract at the Westfalenstadion or seek a transfer.

Gundogan, 25, has just over 12 months left on his current deal contract and was widely reported to have been set for a summer switch to City before sustaining a serious knee injury last week. 

The Germany international has been ruled out of Euro 2016 after dislocating his kneecap, with kicker reporting on Thursday that, while no decision has yet been made, he is likely to undergo surgery that could rule him out for five months.

Gundogan had signed a one-year extension with Dortmund last summer despite earlier indications he would leave but his club are unwilling to offer the deep-lying playmaker another short-term extension.

"There are two options that we've discussed with Ilkay for a long time," Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke told Ruhr Nachrichten. "He will either switch clubs or stay and sign an extension, but it has to be a long-term deal."

Watzke stressed that while Dortmund are demanding a firm decision from the midfielder, who was also sidelined between August 2013 and October 2014 with back problems, he retains the club's support.

"I talked to him, and he felt down after the next severe injury," Watzke said. "He knows that we stick by him."

Dortmund could face a significant rebuilding job over the summer despite their revival under Thomas Tuchel this season, with captain Mats Hummels having already agreed a transfer to Bayern Munich and concerns over the future of Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

Armenia international Mkhitaryan, 27, has been one of the key players for Dortmund's resurgence this term, but he is set to enter the final year of his contract and has yet to agree to a new deal.

This week, it was reported in the Daily Mirror that Chelsea and Arsenal are interested in Mkhitaryan and his agent, Mino Raiola, says there is no agreement over an extension.

"Nothing has been decided yet," Raiola told Bild on Thursday. "We will have clarity in 10 days at the latest."

Raiola is reported to be demanding a release clause in Mkhitaryan's new contract, but Dortmund have categorically ruled out the possibility in the past.

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