Manchester City: Transfer News and Rumour Roundup

The Done Deal

Ilkay Gundogan, Borussia Dortmund, 25, Midfield

Announced just this morning officially, but it’s been the worst kept secret in football signings this year for weeks.

Gundogan is objectively a good pickup. He’s being signed at somewhere around £20 million, which is relatively a drop in the ocean these days. He’s young, he’s talented and perhaps more clinically, he’s a Pep player. He doesn’t score much, but he is a constant threat and a master creator. His pass success percentage sits between 85-90% and he had the fourth highest passes per match rate in the Bundesliga last year, but that doesn’t really tell the full story about his top notch vision. His possession style of play and versatility at being able to handle Central Midfield or Defensive Midfield are exactly what Guardiola is looking for, so it’s no shock he’s the first out the door. Think Luka Modric.

One downside for Gundogan is that he’s known for being somewhat injury prone, for one reason or another. Indeed, he’s injured right now and is missing both the Euros and the start of next season. Never a great sign, is it?

Normally this sort of thing presents itself as something of a gamble. The English game being what it is, a player like Gundogan may seem ill-suited. I would tend to agree, but Pep knows what he’s doing and I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. You should be too.

Certainly, if he stays fit, Gundogan is exactly the kind of player Manchester City need and the choices of world class players available in the role are middling. Keep in mind though that Gundogan is only a start, a good start, but a start nonetheless. Another top midfielder to slot in with Kevin De Bruyne is almost certainly a requirement, and for that you’ll have to read on..

Next: The Oh So Close