According to recent reports by Mike Keegan of The Mail, Ilkay Gundogan is expected to leave Manchester City at the end of this season. Ilkay Gundogan has not made his first move for City, but this week made a massive declaration of intent, pulling out of the highly-publicised Charity Football Match in order to focus on his new role. In a recent interview with Sportsmail, Ilkay Gundogan spoke about his heartbreak following Manchester City‘s latest loss to Spanish giants Real Madrid earlier this month in the Premier League semi-final. While City insisted that any talks will take place in the summer, it is understood it has been conveyed to Ilkay Gundogan that extending his existing contract is not likely.
Manchester City Football Club is a professional football club based in Manchester, competing in the Premier League, the top division of English football. Pep Guardiola subsequently led Manchester City football club to retain both the Premier League and Domestic Cup titles in the 2018-19 season, marking the first time the club had completed any type of successful title defence in City’s history. Two goals scored in stoppage time, including one scored nearly five minutes after the end of normal time, led to a near-literal title victory, the first for City football club in 44 years and the fifth to win the Premier League since it was created in 1992. Ilkay Gundogan is set to start in City’s final league campaign match at the weekend, against Aston Villa, which may turn out to be his last for the Blues, with manager Pep Guardiola looking to secure his fourth Premier League title in five seasons.
Gundogan became Pep Guardiola’s first acquisition at City after taking over the club after Manuel Pellegrini in 2016. Gundogan has netted 34 goals in 156 Premier League games since joining from Borussia Dortmund, and the playmaker has made 252 outings in all tournaments. Gundogan has assisted the Sky Blues in winning three Premier League titles, one FA Cup, four Carabao Cups, and two Community Shields throughout that period. He was also a member of the team that managed to reach the Champions League final last season and the semi-finals this season.
The European Championships are just a week away, but the focus is already firmly on next season at England’s biggest club. Arsenal might not be able to offer Champions League football to every prospective target, with Paulo Dybala, Gabriel Jesus and Aaron Hickey all on their shopping lists. Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has said a potential move hinges on whether or not the north London outfit can offer Champions League football.
