OFFICIAL: Gündogan’s one more season contract clause at Man City triggered

  /  NuclearSA

Confirmed by Guardiola and Romano, Ilkay Gündogan’s contract at Man City will now be valid until June 2026, one more season clause triggered.

City's captain for their iconic treble win, Gundogan spent a season at Barcelona but returned last summer on a free after his contract was terminated by mutual consent.

The former Germany international was handed a one-year deal and was not expected to be a starting player for City in his second spell.

How was Ilkay Gundogan's contract extension triggered?

But a slew of injuries to key players meant Gundogan has played more frequently than initially planned, making 43 appearances and amassing more than 2700 minutes.

Only Josko Gvardiol has played more than Gundogan, who turned 34 in October. And his involvement sees the former Borussia Dortmund midfielder receive an automatic extension for another season.

“He has one more year contract, definitely," Guardiola confirmed in a press conference.

"What’s going to happen (in the summer), I don’t know, but he has one more year contract now. The Gundo from Leicester, the Gundo from Bournemouth, the Gundo from today (vs Crystal Palace is the Gundo I remember, when we won the Treble and Quadruple and an important player.

“So his activity, his pace, his defensive intelligence arrived. Gundo has been with us massively. And as a team we could not help him, because it’s not about you, you, you. "Everyone was down, was below, because the team was not playing good.

“When the team plays good, the individuals rise. Without that, in modern football you can not do it.”

Gundogan could still leave City for a second time and there has been strong reported interest from Galatasaray, though any potential suitors would have to pay a transfer fee.

Though a City legend, Gundogan has looked off the pace in midfield at times and admitted there was an “unbelievable” difference in the Premier League after his year away.

Guardiola himself has said Gundogan doesn't "have the legs to run 40m" but his first City signing is now poised to stick around until 2026.


Related: Manchester City Gundogan Guardiola
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