Manchester City have finalized the signing of former captain Ilkay Gundogan from Barcelona on an initial one-year contract, with an option to extend for an additional 12 months.
The German midfielder, who was Pep Guardiola’s first signing at the club in 2016, spent seven successful years at City before moving to Barcelona on a free transfer in 2023.
During his first spell at the Etihad, the 33-year-old won 14 trophies and scored 60 goals in 304 appearances.
Upon his return to Manchester, Gundogan said: “My seven years at Manchester City were a time of pure contentment for me, both on and off the pitch.
“I grew as a person and a player, developed a special relationship with the City fans and enjoyed amazing success.
“It was an exceptional period in my life.
“To have the opportunity to return here means so much.
“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.
“You feel constantly challenged, which for any professional is exactly what you want.
“I cannot wait to work with him again.
“And what can I say about my teammates here at City…they are world class footballers.
“I am genuinely delighted to have the chance to train and play alongside them.
“Honestly, I cannot wait to wear the City shirt again.”
City’s Director of Football Txiki Begiristain added: “Ilkay is one of the finest professionals I have ever worked with.
“His dedication to football and his approach to every single training session is something special.
“He is also an exceptional midfielder.
“His reading of the game, his football intelligence, his technical quality and his leadership make him an excellent addition to our squad.
“To be able to bring him back here is fantastic news for everyone.
“He will help us in our main objective, which is to win trophies, but he will also be an inspiration to so many.”
"Home" 🥹 pic.twitter.com/uF67cTVEYd
— Manchester City (@ManCity) August 23, 2024
Ilkay Gundogan had the unique honour of being Pep Guardiola’s first signing at Manchester City, joining the Club from Borussia Dortmund as a 25-year-old in the summer of 2016.
Already recognized as one of Europe’s finest technical midfielders, Gündoğan’s impact at City surpassed all expectations.
Under Guardiola’s guidance, he flourished into a pivotal figure during a golden era for the club.
Over seven remarkable seasons, he helped secure 14 major trophies, contributing immensely to City’s dominance.
His final two appearances were the perfect encapsulation of his legacy.
Gundogan scored twice in the FA Cup final, leading City to a 2-1 victory over Manchester United, and days later, captained the team to a 1-0 win over Inter in the Champions League final to complete a historic Treble.
Ilkay Gundogan will wear the No. 19 shirt following his return to Manchester City.
“There was a little bit of thinking behind it,” Gundogan explained.
“Obviously number 21 and 22 were free as well and I was last year 22 in Barcelona and I was 21 in the German national team, but I didn’t win any trophies with these numbers.
“So, I thought OK and number 19 is between 18 and 20 between my two friends Bernardo Silva and Stefan Ortega.
“So that might be a sign, you know, and I just went for it. So let’s see.
“It’s hopefully not the number that will have a big influence it will be the way I am playing the like the way I’m behaving and the way we will be as a team, and I can assure you that we will try our best to win a lot.”
What you've all been waiting for…
Welcome back to City, @IlkayGuendogan 🩵 pic.twitter.com/8VutEkQNRU
— Manchester City (@ManCity) August 23, 2024
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