Ilkay Gundogan is on the cusp of returning to Manchester City on a free transfer from Barcelona.
The central midfielder, 33, helped Manchester City win the 2022/23 season treble before joining Barcelona last summer. He is set to leave Barcelona after just one season, where he scored five goals and registered nine assists in 36 La Liga outings.
Ilkay Gundogan will reportedly travel to Manchester to undergo a medical on Wednesday before signing an initial one-year deal with an option for a second. An official announcement is expected on Thursday, and if the documents are signed before Friday afternoon’s registration deadline, the German midfielder could make his second debut for the Sky Blues against newly promoted Ipswich Town on Saturday.
Pep Guardiola crucial in bringing back Ilkay Gundogan to Man City
Ilkay Gundogan’s one-year spell at Barcelona will be cut short by mutual agreement, meaning he will potentially return to the Etihad Stadium without a fee. The 33-year-old, who recently retired from international football having guided Germany to the quarter-finals of Euro 2024, spent seven incredibly successful seasons at Man City before moving to Spain in 2023.
The former Germany international has been the subject of interest from Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Still, he has chosen to return to Manchester after positive conversations with head coach Pep Guardiola. Under Pep Guardiola, the midfielder made 304 appearances across all competitions and captained the club to the historic treble in May 2023.
Gundogan is already a legend in the blue half of Manchester, having won 12 major honours. He will be determined to help City maintain their dominance in England by guiding them to an unprecedented fourth successive Premier League title this season. The ex-Borussia Dortmund man’s addition will boost Guardiola’s midfield unit, which was devoid of Rodri, against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
I am Rohan Sengupta from one of the busiest cities in India, Mumbai. A Journalism graduate with a keen interest in sports, football is something I simply cannot live without and writing, discussing and analyzing the game is what I do 24*7.
