"I was a bit nervous beforehand” - Manchester City star Ilkay Gundogan opens up on decision to leave Barcelona for Etihad return
Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has opened up on his decision to leave Barcelona and rejoin Pep Guardiola's side in the summer. The German admitted that he was a 'bit nervous' before the move but a call with the Spanish tactician helped seal his return.
Gundogan moved to the Etihad from German giants Borussia Dortmund for a reported €27 million in July 2016. He enjoyed a successful seven-year stint at the club, racking up 60 goals and 38 assists in 304 appearances.
With five Premier League titles, a Champions League title, two FA Cups and four EFL Cups in his cabinet, the German moved to Barca on a free transfer in July 2023.
However, after just one season at Camp Nou, Gundogan moved back to Manchester City on a free transfer after terminating his contract with Barcelona. Speaking to Daily Mail about the move, the 33-year-old said (via Tribal Football):
"When I was sure it would be amazing to come back, I spoke with Pep [Guardiola]. I called him and asked him if he could imagine it... I had thought about it. It was something I personally wanted to do and I didn’t have much to lose, you know? I was a bit nervous beforehand but it was a nice call."
Gundogan continued:
"Obviously, my relationship with Pep was always good. Even though I was in Barcelona last year, we had a few phone calls between each other. We actually also met there once. There is no reason to hide that we have a good connection but at the end, you never know how people will react or what they think about certain situations."
"So when I mentioned it and I got a great response, I was relieved. It was something that maybe I didn’t quite expect in that moment. He said had it been up to him it would have been done tomorrow."
The addition of Gundogan will provide Guardiola some much-needed depth in midfield ahead of a potential 70-game season for Manchester City.
Manchester City star Ilkay Gundogan makes claim about solitary season at Barcelona
Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan claimed that he believed he had a 'successful' spell at Barcelona despite being at the club for just one season.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, the German said (via Tribal Football):
"You know, I think I had a successful time over there. I mean apart from anything, I played for one of the biggest teams in the world. I fulfilled one of my childhood dreams, playing for Barca and wearing that badge."
The midfielder played a key role in the Catalan giants' second-place finish in the league and made 51 appearances across all competitions in total (five goals, 14 assists). Reflecting on the campaign, he said:
"Maybe people will look at last season and think we didn’t win anything. That’s true. But if you look at how we performed we had 85 points at the end of the season, only three less than the previous year when they won the league."
"We were playing against a really difficult Real Madrid side. I feel very privileged to have played for Barcelona. In other circumstances, maybe things would have turned out differently. It was a tough but also great experience. So no regrets at all," Gundogan concluded.
Since his return to Manchester City, Gundogan has made just one start in four appearances in the EPL and UCL.