Ilkay Gungodan’s Manchester City return raises one major transfer concern for Pep Guardiola

Ilkay Gundogan could be close to completing a sensational return to Manchester City.

The Premier League champions are open to the prospect of the midfielder rejoining the club, with reports in Spain claiming he is set to rejoin City, while The Athletic state the Blues are the ‘frontrunners’ to sign Gundogan, with Barcelona willing to let the player leave for free.

A return to City, where Gundogan’s final action was to guide the club to a treble triumph, makes sense for obvious reasons. Pep Guardiola mentioned last week that he would be keen to add a midfielder before the transfer market shuts, if a suitable option becomes available.

On a free, Gundogan certainly fits that criteria. He also should slot back in seamlessly, knows the inner dynamics at City perfectly, and undeniably has the quality required to thrive in Guardiola’s squad. He would offer much-needed cover for Rodri, but will bring so much more than that, and provide another option further up the pitch.

Perhaps most importantly, Guardiola loves the player. He never wanted the German to leave in 2023, and on several occasions referenced his hope that his captain would stay. “I talk many things with the club. Nobody knows what is going to happen, maybe he will stay hopefully,” he explained in May last year.

But this wouldn’t be a risk-free transfer for City. Gundogan turns 34 this season and Kyle Walker is the only older outfield player in Guardiola’s squad. Indeed, Gundogan’s age was the biggest factor in City stalling on his contract offer in the latter stages of the 2022/23 season.

“In the end, it wasn't about a year or two [being offered],” he told German outlet Bild last year. “There was no problem with the running time. City waited a relatively long time until the talks really intensified.

“If this had happened a little earlier, the situation would have been different,” Gundogan added on the contract offer. “I don't want to go into the minute details, but it was quite late in the season.”

While the ex-Borussia Dortmund star was happy with the terms ultimately offered by City, the club’s reluctance to arrange a new contract does beg the question of what terms will be offered this time around.

There is also the uncertainty about whether he would be reinstated into the club’s captain group, or possibly as the outright skipper once again - admittedly that’s a decision Guardiola defers to his players to vote on. Meanwhile, that Gundogan’s no.8 jersey has since been claimed by Mateo Kovacic might also be a slight annoyance.

But overall, this feels like a very non-City signing, a stopgap solution to what is becoming a pressing situation. The lack of cover for Rodri has really been a problem since Fernandinho’s departure in 2022, and Gundogan’s arrival would essentially kick the can down the road until next summer.

The purchase of Kovacic last year was the oldest outfield signing of the Guardiola era, but Gundogan’s possible return would eclipse that age gap by four years.

Were this Manchester United or Chelsea who were opting to re-sign a former 33-year-old in the final 10 days of the transfer window, serious questions would be asked. That it’s City, who so rarely make missteps in the market, the coverage has been understandably kinder, despite no back-up being secured for Rodri or Erling Haaland in the last two months.

Gundogan’s potential arrival does make sense, but also points to a summer transfer window that hasn’t gone entirely to plan for the Premier League’s best side.