- Ilkay Gundogan returned to City last summer after leaving for Barcelona in LaLiga
- He triggered a one-year extension but could still leave the Etihad this year
- LISTEN to Whistleblowers: Are Arsenal fans right to think they’ve been aggrieved by the fixtures?
Galatasaray are hopeful of landing Ilkay Gundogan from Manchester City this summer.
Gundogan triggered a one-year extension to his contract at the Etihad Stadium after surpassing a set percentage of minutes for Pep Guardiola’s side over the course of a one-year deal.
But there remains interest from the Turkish champions, who view the 34-year-old as ideal to strengthen their midfield area and have already signed one of Gundogan’s former team-mates in Leroy Sane.
Gundogan left City in the weeks after sealing an historic Treble in 2023, joining Barcelona, only to make a return 12 months later.
The Germany international, who has Turkish roots, had been expected to be used as an impact player but ended up registering 50 appearances as injuries hit.
Gundogan featured in City’s 2-0 win over Wydad AC in the Club World Cup and recently revealed the toll that last season had taken on him.
In the post on LinkedIn, the veteran appeared to talk up the prospect of seeing out the final year of his deal.
‘I still feel more than connected to City,’ he said. ‘It still feels like family, we still are a family in the dressing room, Manchester feels like home – this is not a phrase, it’s coming from my heart. For me, my wife and my kids.
‘For me City is the most professional football club in Europe. That is why, on the one hand, I’m still asking myself so often how we got into this difficult situation this season.
‘On the other hand, however, this still gives me confidence that sooner or later we will be back at the very best level, because I know how hard everyone is working – not just our manager, not just my team-mates – everyone at this club.
‘And during the last months we already showed that we are back on the right track. I still know how privileged I have been during nearly my whole career having been part of the winning side that often. Maybe that’s also the reason why this season felt so challenging.’
And despite coming towards the end of his career, Gundogan insisted that experienced heads still have a role to play at the highest level.
‘There seems to be a trend at the moment in football where people are saying this player is too old or another one cannot run anymore, but we always have had this in football,’ he said.
‘You need experienced players on the pitch. I know that when I was 18 or 19, I was looking up to those experienced players. Just by watching what they did – and how they did it – I learnt. It wasn’t always necessary for them to say anything.’
