“Get your shoes on! Manchester City is not a place to retire’ – Pep Guardiola’s no-nonsense message to Ilkay Gundogan as he insists returning hero hasn’t come back to Man City to retir
Gundogan made a surprise return to City on Friday, less than a year after departing for Barcelona after a seven-year spell at the club during which he scored 60 goals in 304 appearances and won 14 titles.
WHAT GUARDIOLA SAID
“He has not come here to retire or recall the good times; now it is time to put your shoes on and play your best,” Guardiola said during a press conference. “He understands what we need to accomplish and does not need to adjust; he knows the city, the club, his teammates, and the manner we want to play. So he will be fine to go right away, which is why we did it.
Gundogan was instrumental in City winning three Premier League championships in a row from 2021 to 2023, and he adds even more competition to a powerful, although aging, midfield. He is just City’s second signing of the summer, after winger Savinho from Troyes, and his arrival on a free transfer means the club can still spend the £82 million ($107 million) they received from the sale of Julian Alvarez to Atletico Madrid on other players.
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Guardiola, on the other hand, stated that he does not anticipate City to add any more players to their team before the transfer market closes on September 1. “I do not think so,” he responded. “I am not sure what is going to happen; maybe there are injuries – hopefully not – maybe the market presents something unexpected that financially or tactically suits… Right now, I do not believe so.”
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