Official: Gündogan rejoins Manchester City!

It's now official, Ilkay Gündogan has rejoined Manchester City for free on a one-year contract until the summer of 2025. This can be extended for another year. This will trigger automatically if he plays a certain number of games this season.

Ilkay Gündogan left City wearing #8 but he will wear #19 this time- a number previously worn by the Argentinian Julian Alvarez who recently left the club. The #8 is currently taken by Mateo Kovacic.

He left on a free transfer, last season after the Champions League final, joining Barcelona in the summer of 2023. He decided to leave after he wasn't part of Barcelona's plan for this season and gave up his final years of his Barcelona contract. He created the most chances in La Liga last season. Something he didn't get during his year stint at Barcelona, was trophies - he won a huge river of trophies at Manchester City from 2016 to 2023.

Last week, he had a phone call with Pep Guardiola. Gündogan suggested he would be willing to join the backroom staff wherever Guardiola may be. This idea was welcomed. As per , the journalist Pol Ballús.

Gündogan, in his interview after signing his contract, has said that “the opportunity to return means so much “. He also said about playing under Pep Guardiola that “I cannot wait to work with him again”. Regarding leaving Manchester City in 2023 he said "You realise how amazing that time was. You realise how big the Club is, the best Club in the world…”. The German, who recently retired from the German international team, also said he is happy to have returned to the club he called “home”.

He still has an “incredible sense for winning, for competing…. He hopes to be “more successful than last season “. You can see the full interview and read everything he said on Manchester City ‘s website. Also , according to Jack Gaughan- Ilkay Gündogan is available to play against Ipswich Town as he has received international clearance in the last hour.