Manchester City re-signed midfielder Ilkay Gündogan from Barcelona and he will be another addition to a talented roster expected to compete for several titles.
Manchester City is already the favorite to win the English Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League—called the Treble—for the second straight year.
Now, the “Citizens” have added to their deep roster by re-signing German midfielder
Ilkay Gündogan after he spent last season at Barcelona.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was happy to welcome the 33-year-old Gündogan back to the club. Gündogan’s Barcelona contract was terminated by mutual agreement after the Spanish club signed
Dani Olmo from RB Leipzig.
“Most of the time all the managers say in the transfer window anything can happen, this is the real proof,” Guardiola
said at a Manchester City news conference on Friday. “It was a surprise, unexpected. ... We know him quite well, me personally, but the staff and players and everyone. We know the quality he played last year at Barcelona. He played at a high, high level. We didn’t have any doubts when the possibility was open, and [we’re] absolutely delighted he’s back.”
Gündogan spent seven years at Manchester City between 2016 and 2023. His time at the club was an overwhelming success with 12 major trophies, including five English Premier League championships and a Champions League title.
Gündogan is a versatile midfielder who can attack and is stellar defensively. He adds to a lineup that already includes three players—Erling Haaland, Phil Foden, and Rodrigo Hernández Cascante (Rodri)—who were named to the Professional Footballers’ Association Men’s Players’ Player of the Year preseason
list.
Haaland, who also plays for the Norway National Team, scored 36 goals and six assists in 41 games across all competitions and is already playing at a high level this season. Foden joined Manchester City at the Under-9 level and is now one of the most gifted players in the English Premier League. Rodri is one of the most talented defensive midfielders in the world. He also played a key role for the Spanish National Team, which won the Euro 2024, where he was awarded the best player in the tournament.
Gündogan agreed to a one-year contract with Manchester City with the option for another year. Gündogan penned a farewell note to Barcelona’s supporters on social media.
“After just one year it’s already time to say goodbye,” Gündogan
wrote on X. “I came here to face a new, exciting challenge, and I was ready for it. I have given everything to fight for the team and the club in the best possible way in a difficult season and I was looking forward to helping my teammates in the new campaign.
“Now I am leaving in a difficult situation, but if my departure can help the club financially, it makes me a bit less sad. Nevertheless, it’s been a time with incredible experiences and ups and downs—I always wanted to play at Barça, and I am very grateful for a memory and experience that I will remember for my life. I wish you the best for the season and for the future. The fans deserve to get this big club back to the world’s best.”
In addition to Gündogan, Manchester City also signed Brazilian winger
Savinho from Spanish club Girona this summer. Savinho also played for the Brazilian national team, which reached the quarterfinals of the Copa América in the United States. He scored his first international goal in a group-stage win against Paraguay.
“I’m excited about the chance to work under Pep Guardiola, one of the greatest coaches ever, and someone I know will help me improve even more,” Savinho said in a
statement released by the club. “I had an amazing time in Spain and I’m looking forward to a new challenge of playing in the Premier League and alongside some of the best players in the world.”
