Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
‘ILKAY CAN DO EVERYTHING’
BY
IF it is right that your first love never dies, then Ilkay Gundogan’s likely summer exit from the Etihad could break manager Pep Guardiola’s heart.
The Germany midfielder, 32, started Guardiola’s Manchester City era back in the summer of 2016, as the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss’s first signing.
At £20million, Gundogan’s fee barely registers among the £2billion of player investment made during the Sheikh Mansour era.
The City star spent four seasons at Borussia
Dortmund under Jurgen Klopp (above), who has described Gundogan as “one of the best players I’ve ever coached”.
His unassuming leadership qualities might not grab the imagination alongside the much-publicised deeds of Kevin De Bruyne, Erling Haaland, Rodri and, in the midweek demolition of Real Madrid, Bernardo Silva – but they are certainly appreciated by his manager.
“He can do everything.
And everything he does, he does well,” is Guardiola’s emphatic remark about a player he has now had under his command for seven years.
Sadly, for his adoring manager, unless there is a change of attitude among the Etihad hierarchy, the quietly spoken German with Turkish parents will move on at the end of the season, almost certainly to Barcelona.
Unlike City, who have offered only a new one-year contract when his current agreement runs out at the end of next month, the newly crowned Spanish champions are prepared to entice Gundogan to the Nou Camp with a two-year deal.
What is certain is that he still has a major role to play in the finale of City’s season, as they return to Premier League duty against Chelsea today.