Ilkay Gundogan Manchester City return: Transfer fee, contract & shirt number details explained

Ilkay Gunodgan has completed his completed his shock return to Manchester City.

The midfielder only left the Premier League champions 14 months ago when he departed to sign for Barcelona, but his stint in La Liga was a brief one, with Gundogan re-signing for City in a sensational transfer, just a week before the summer market closes.

Gundogan has signed on a free transfer at City, subject to international clearance, and has signed a one-year deal with the option of an additional 12 months. It’s understood the terms to trigger the extra year are related to appearances.

“My seven years at Manchester City were a time of pure contentment for me, both on and off the pitch. I grew as a person and a player, developed a special relationship with the City fans and enjoyed amazing success,” Gundogan said as the transfer was confirmed.

“It was an exceptional period in my life. To have the opportunity to return here means so much.

“Everyone knows the respect I have for Pep [Guardiola] – he is the best manager in the world and working with him every day makes you a better player. You feel constantly challenged, which for any professional is exactly what you want. I cannot wait to work with him again.

“What can I say about my teammates here at City...they are world class footballers. I am genuinely delighted to have the chance to train and play alongside them. Honestly, I cannot wait to wear the City shirt again.”

The Blues have been on the hunt for a new midfielder this window, with Guardiola last week admitting that City would look to bring in reinforcements if a suitable candidate became available. That’s a category Gundogan very much falls into.

With a spiralling wage bill, Barcelona have allowed the ex-German international to leave for free, and City pounced at the opportunity to sign the man who captained the club to their treble triumph just over a year ago.

Gundogan flew to Manchester on Wednesday and was pictured visiting the restaurant owned by Guardiola in the city centre. He then spent Thursday completing a medical, sorting paperwork and going through the various internal media arrangements, before the transfer was confirmed on Friday.

He will now wear the no.19 shirt, with Mateo Kovacic taking his previous no.8 jersey which he wore during his first stint at the club. It’s not clear whether Gundogan will be available to face Ipswich Town on Saturday.

“Ilkay is one of the finest professionals I have ever worked with. His dedication to football and his approach to every single training session is something special,” said director of football Txiki Begiristain.

“He is also an exceptional midfielder. His reading of the game, his football intelligence, his technical quality and his leadership make him an excellent addition to our squad. To be able to bring him back here is fantastic news for everyone. He will help us in our main objective, which is to win trophies, but he will also be an inspiration to so many.”