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sorduğum soru bu değil

1) Yes, you can use "is joining" instead of "is to join" in the sentence. Both phrases convey a similar meaning, indicating that İlkay will be joining Barcelona in the future.

The phrase "is joining" uses the present continuous tense, which implies an action that is happening at the current moment or in the immediate future. This construction suggests that the process of joining Barcelona is already in progress or about to happen very soon.

So, if you prefer to use the present continuous tense, you can say, "İlkay is joining Barcelona, bringing an end to a hugely successful seven-year stay with Manchester City." This phrasing emphasizes the ongoing nature of the action.

2) The phrase "is to join" is a construction used to indicate a future action or event that is planned or expected to happen. In this context, it suggests that İlkay, whose full name is likely İlkay Gündoğan, is expected or planned to join Barcelona in the future, and this will mark the end of his successful seven-year tenure with Manchester City.

The phrase "is to join" is formed by combining the verb "to be" (in this case, "is") with the infinitive form of the verb "to join." This construction conveys the idea of a forthcoming action, similar to "will join" or "is going to join." It is often used when referring to scheduled or anticipated events.