Ilkay Gundogan has made a surprising return to Manchester City, leaving Barcelona on a free transfer after just a single season in Spain.
The German international has signed a one-year contract with the Cityzens, which includes an option to extend for an additional season.
Upon his return, Manchester City announced that Gundogan will don the No. 19 jersey, as his former number, 8, has been claimed by Mateo Kovacic.
Reflecting on his year away in Barcelona, Gundogan shared his renewed appreciation for Manchester City upon rejoining the Premier League champions.
“When you leave this place, you spend a year away and you then start to appreciate the place even more,” Gundogan remarked. “You realise what you had, how amazing the time was, and how big the club is.”
Describing City as “the best club in the world,” Gundogan expressed his excitement about reuniting with his former teammates. “It’s an incredible feeling to come back a year later,” he continued. “I am very pleased, very happy, and I feel privileged to share the dressing room again with these amazing players. The package that you get here – right now today, you can’t find it anywhere else and that made it very easy for me to come back.”
Barcelona, faced with financial constraints, encouraged several key players to seek opportunities elsewhere, leading City to act swiftly in securing Gundogan’s return.
Despite his departure from City, Gundogan maintained close ties with Pep Guardiola and his former teammates, even meeting them in Orlando before a pre-season friendly in July.
“Having that opportunity to meet was amazing,” he added. “Back then it wasn’t even a topic to come back and re-join. Everything has happened quite quick in the last few days, so I wasn’t thinking about it back then. Maybe that made it even more special and fulfilling for me.”
Gundogan also spoke of his connection to Manchester, sharing that he has many friends in the city who eagerly reached out to confirm the rumors of his return. “I have friends in Manchester – a lot of people in the last couple of days messaged me and asked me if the rumours were true. There are a lot of people in Manchester that I know and I’m really looking forward to seeing everyone again.”
Now settled back into his old apartment, Gundogan fondly recalled the city life he enjoyed during his previous stint. “We’ll go for coffees in the city centre. I live in the city centre too so it’s quite easy to go out and go for coffees which we love to do as a family. I hope the weather is good enough so we can do that, not so rainy!”
Shortly before the official announcement of his return, Gundogan humorously referenced his original arrival at City in 2016 by quote-tweeting his old post and writing, “@ManCity Announce Gundogan… Again!” Reflecting on his move back to Manchester, he noted, “I arrived in my old new apartment; I kept it throughout the whole year. It’s felt like home immediately. It’s a joy.”
The 33-year-old also addressed Barcelona fans on X, expressing gratitude and explaining that his departure was partly motivated by the club’s financial struggles. “Dear Culers,” he wrote. “After just one year it’s already time to say goodbye. I came here to face a new, exciting challenge, and I was ready for it. I have given everything to fight for the team and the club the best possible way in a difficult season and I was looking forward to helping my teammates in the new campaign.”
Gundogan emphasized that leaving Barcelona was bittersweet but necessary under the circumstances. “Now I am leaving in a difficult situation, but if my departure can help the club financially, it makes me a bit less sad,” he said. “Nevertheless, it’s been a time with incredible experiences and ups and downs – I always wanted to play at Barça, and I am very grateful for a memory and experience that I will remember for my life. I wish you the best for the season and for the future. The fans deserve to get this big club back to the world’s best. Visca el Barça!”
Gundogan’s return to Manchester City was solidified during a dinner meeting at Tast Catala, a restaurant owned by Guardiola.
The discussion, which also included City’s chief executive Ferran Soriano, led to the formalization of his return to the Etihad, where he will reunite with midfield stalwarts like Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne, and Bernardo Silva. Additionally, he will now team up with new signings Mateo Kovacic and Matheus Nunes, who were brought in last summer to fill the void left by his departure.
On his choice to wear the No. 19 shirt, Gundogan explained his reasoning to the club’s website, “There was a little bit of thinking behind it. Obviously, number 21 and 22 were free as well and I was last year 22 in in Barcelona and I was 21 in the German national team, but I didn’t win any trophies with these numbers. So, I thought OK and number 19 is between 18 and 20 between my two friends Bernardo Silva and Stefan Ortega. So that might be a sign, you know, and I just went for it. So let’s see.”
Barcelona’s financial difficulties have also affected their ability to register new signing Dani Olmo from Red Bull Leipzig, although Gundogan’s exit provides some relief. Meanwhile, Guardiola is undoubtedly pleased to have Gundogan back in his squad, especially given that he was Guardiola’s first signing at City in 2016.
Gundogan, who played a pivotal role as City’s captain during their historic Treble-winning campaign in 2022-23, is eager to continue his winning ways. Despite City’s strong start to the 2024-25 season with a 2-0 victory over Chelsea, Gundogan is determined to add more silverware to his already impressive collection, which includes the Champions League, five Premier League titles, two FA Cups, and four League Cups.
“Well, obviously the seven years I had here in my first spell, they played a big role [in my decision to return],” Gundogan reflected. “Getting to know this amazing club, getting to know the people working here, behind everything. Of course, also, the friendships that you made and the memories that you had.”
However, Gundogan made it clear that his return is not just about nostalgia. “But by saying that, I don’t want it to sound too nostalgic to be honest, because it’s still about competing. It’s still about having that drive. It’s still about trying to be the best version of yourself and that’s all an ambition that I still have, incredibly in myself, even though I’m now 33 years old.”
Gundogan remains committed to proving himself on the field, stating, “But I still want to prove myself every day in training sessions and games and still become the best possible version of myself. I still have an incredible sense for winning, for competing and I think the package that you get here, right now today, you can’t find it anywhere else, and that made it for me very, very easy to come back.”
Gundogan’s return marks City’s second signing of the summer, following the acquisition of Savinho from Troyes in a £21 million deal.
