Manchester City have finalized the acquisition of Ilkay Gundogan from Barcelona on an initial one-year contract with an option for an additional 12 months.
Gundogan, a German midfielder, was Pep Guardiola’s first signing at Manchester City in 2016. After spending seven years at City, he transferred to Barcelona on a free transfer in 2023.
During his first tenure at Manchester City, the 33-year-old won 14 trophies and scored 60 goals in 304 appearances.
Gundogan stated, “My seven years at Manchester City were a time of pure contentment for me, both on and off the pitch.” He added, “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. Honestly, I cannot wait to wear the City shirt again.”
Despite a strong debut season in Spain, Barcelona opted to part ways with Gundogan due to financial constraints. The departure of Gundogan, one of the club’s highest earners, aids Barcelona in meeting La Liga’s spending regulations.
Gundogan commented on Instagram, “I am leaving in a difficult situation, but if my departure can help the club financially, it makes me a bit less sad.” He expressed his anticipation to “help my team-mates in the new campaign” while expressing gratitude for his year at Barcelona.
Ahead of Ipswich Town’s visit to Manchester, Guardiola described the opportunity to re-sign Gundogan as unexpected, stating, “It was a complete surprise, unexpected. We didn’t have any doubts when the possibility to re-sign him was open, and we’re absolutely delighted that he’s back.”
Gundogan, who has earned 82 caps for Germany, announced his retirement from international football following Germany’s Euro 2024 quarter-final exit to Spain.
