Guardiola makes an exception for his favorite player Ilkay Gündogan
Ilkay Gündogan turned his back on FC Barcelona because the club wanted to get rid of him. When Gündogan contacted Guardiola, the manager was excited - but he is no longer captain for the time being.
So far in his coaching career, Pep Guardiola has not attracted attention by bringing in many players with whom he had already worked before. The Catalan, who has been with Manchester City since 2016 after spells at FC Barcelona and FC Bayern, has only trained the Spaniards Thiago Alcantara and Nolito at two different clubs - although he has only brought them in once each. After all, one of his seemingly immovable transfer rules is not to sign players from his former clubs as a rule. But Guardiola has made an exception for Ilkay Gündogan, one of his absolute favorite footballers - he is the only player to have signed him for a second time.
On Friday lunchtime, Manchester City confirmed the midfielder's return this week. Gündogan returns from FC Barcelona on a free transfer after just one season, having left City in the summer of 2023 at the end of his contract. At the time, he was looking for a new challenge in the fall of his career. He had just won the Champions League for the first time in his career and led the Citizens to the title treble as captain. Despite Guardiola's efforts to keep him, the now 33-year-old decided to move on. The attraction of Barcelona, which once played the beautiful short-passing football under Guardiola from 2008 to 2012 that Gündogan has raved about ever since, was simply too great.
Gündogan's advocates left the club in pre-season
However, FC Barcelona, who used to have a reputation for nobility, unceremoniously dumped him in preparation for this season. The club signed the much younger playmaker Dani Olmo for €55 million from RB Leipzig - meaning Gündogan suddenly fell out of favor. In the previous season, he had played the most competitive games for the team. This was also due to the fact that Barça's directors of football, Mateu Alemany and Jordi Cruyff, as well as coach Xavi, who had arranged the deal with Gündogan, are all no longer at the club. It was said that Barça had to get rid of the veteran due to their financial difficulties in order to be able to register the expensive addition of Olmo with La Liga. In the farewell statement, in which Gündogan emphasized how much the short time meant to him nonetheless (“always wanted to play for Barça”), he elegantly noted that his departure would make him a little less sad if it meant he could help the club financially.
As a way out, Gündogan contacted Guardiola, who was keen to reappoint him. One of the reasons was the personal bond between the two after seven years together in Manchester; Gündogan was the first transfer Guardiola had made as City coach, and it was certainly no disadvantage that the player fell for Barcelona, Guardiola's favorite club. And secondly, the sporting quality of the midfield strategist. The departure of Julián Álvarez recently deprived City of an attacking alternative, which the club can now affordably compensate for.
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Gündogan will receive a one-year contract with an option until 2026. Unlike many new City professionals, who need some time to get used to the style of play, he does not have to learn the ropes first. He is an immediate reinforcement. The only difference to a year ago is that the German is no longer captain of the team and his former number 8 has already been taken. But Gündogan has never thought in terms of rankings anyway. The reduced responsibility might even suit him. He has more time for his family. This is also why he withdrew from the national team during this turbulent week for him.
He is guaranteed the respect of Pep Guardiola. When asked about his transfer targets at FC Bayern, he once said the following: “Thiago or nothing!” This quote could just as easily apply to Ilkay Gündogan now.