Ilkay Gundogan reveals unusual reason for selecting new Manchester City shirt number

Ilkay Gundogan has revealed the peculiar reason he chose his new shirt number at Manchester City, as he returned to the club.

The German’s transfer was confirmed on Friday, with Gundogan joining on a free transfer and signing a one-year deal at City, with the option of a further 12 months. But his old no.8 jersey, which he wore during his first seven years at the club has since been taken by Mateo Kovacic.

Gundogan has several options available to him, including 21, which he wore for Germany, and the jersey he held at Barcelona: 22. Instead, the midfielder opted for an entirely new no.19, and he explained the touching reason behind that choice.

“There was a little bit of thinking behind it,” Gundogan said after the transfer was confirmed. “Number 21 and 22 were free as well – I was 22 last year at Barcelona and 21 in the German national team but I didn’t win any trophies with these numbers, so I thought number 19 is between 18 and 20 – my two friends Bernardo Silva and Stefan Ortega so that might be a sign.

“I just went for it – let's see. It’s hopefully not the number that will have a big influence, it’s hopefully the way I am playing and behaving and the way we will be as a team. I can assure you will try our best to win more.”

Gundogan returns to City a year on from his exit. The 33-year-old spent a year at Barcelona after he failed to agree a new deal at the Etihad at the end of the 2022/23 season. His final act as a City player - an captain - was to lift the Champions League trophy, and Gundogan said he is returning to ‘best club’ in the world.

“I’m incredibly happy, happy to see my teammates, the staff, people that I had seven years with and an amazing time with,” he explained. “Many ups and a few downs but an incredible experience. When you leave this place, you spend a year away and you then start to appreciate the place even more.

“You realise what you had, how amazing the time was and how big the club is. The best club in the world and I think in terms of football – getting back onto that level and coming back a year later is an incredible feeling. I am very pleased, very happy and I feel privileged to share the dressing room again with these amazing players.”

His previous seven years in Manchester also means Gundogan will adapt seamlessly to life back in England, and he’s taken up residency in his old block of apartments - next door to a certain Pep Guardiola

“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. 

“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 well enough so we can do that, not so rainy! I arrived yesterday in my old new apartment; I kept it throughout the whole year! It’s felt like home immediately. It’s a joy.”