Courtesy: X
On Friday, August 23, Manchester City signed former captain Ilkay Gundogan from Barcelona on a one-year contract with an option to extend it by a further 12 months. After leaving Manchester City on a free transfer to Barcelona in 2023, the 33-year-old is going to make his return to the Etihad, where he achieved a lot of success during the peak of his career.
During his first stint lasting seven years at Manchester City, Ilkay Gundogan won 14 trophies including Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup, and the UEFA Champions League. The German was the first signing of Pep Guardiola at the English club back in 2016, and in his 304 appearances, he scored 60 goals.
As per the report from the BBC Sport, Ilkay Gundogan addressed his return to Manchester City and said, “My seven years at Manchester City were a time of pure contentment for me, both on and off the pitch. Everyone knows the respect I have for Pep - he is the best manager in the world and working with him every day makes you a better player. Honestly, I cannot wait to wear the City shirt again.”
In his parting message to the Barcelona fans on Instagram, Ilkay Gundogan wrote, “Dear culers, after just one year it’s already time to say goodbye. I came here to face a new, exciting challenge, and I was ready for it. I have given everything to fight for the team and the club the best possible way in a difficult season and I was looking forward to helping my teammates in the new campaign.”
The German also spoke about how his departure would help Barcelona financially, which makes him a bit less sad to leave.
The reason for Ilkay Gundogan’s departure is connected to how Barcelona have been struggling to register their new signing Dani Olmo due to their financial issues. The departure of the midfielder will allow them to comply with the spending restrictions of La Liga, to bring their new player to the fold.
