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Ilkay Gundogan, the German midfielder, has joined Turkish club Galatasaray on a free transfer from Manchester City after agreeing a two-year deal with them until the 2026-27 season. The 34-year-old had a year left on his current contract with Manchester City, but he was given the permission to leave the club since the Turkish transfer window is open until September 12 unlike the English transfer window which closed on September 1.
Notably, Ilkay Gundogan joined Manchester City in the summer of 2016 when Pep Guardiola took charge of the club, becoming his first signing. After being a part of the English giants for seven years, winning the Premier League and FA Cup on multiple occasions apart from the UEFA Champions League, the German joined Barcelona on a free transfer in the summer of 2023 before rejoining the club next year.
Manchester City will always hold a special place in my heart: Ilkay Gundogan
During his second coming with Manchester City, which lasted just one season, he and the club failed to win a trophy for the first time in a season under Pep Guardiola, finishing third in the Premier League apart from losing the final of the FA Cup, while their League Cup and UEFA Champions League campaigns ended prematurely. Ilkay Gundogan ended up making 358 appearances for the club, scoring 65 goals, and upon his departure, he said, “Manchester City will always hold a special place in my heart.”
“We have enjoyed so much success in our time together and there have been so many unforgettable moments, not least being captain for the Treble-winning season. To win the Premier League and FA Cup trophies meant so much to me, but to then be afforded the opportunity of lifting the Champions League trophy for this club for the first time, especially in Istanbul, will live with me forever,” remarked Ilkay Gundogan about his time with Manchester City, who played a key role in taking his career to the next level.
Ilkay Gundogan also stated that Manchester City will continue to attain success in the future apart from revealing that he will be following them while pursuing the latter stages of his footballing career in Turkey.
