Ilkay Gundogan on Manchester City future: "we will see"
The midfielder made a match-changing impact from the bench as City secured the 2021/22 Premier League title on the final day of the season
Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has admitted that his future is up in the air, after he inspired Pep Guardiola's side to a title-clinching final-day comeback.
With City 2-0 down at home to Aston Villa with just over 20 minutes to play, Guardiola introduced Gundogan - and within minutes, the Germany international met Raheem Sterling's cross to make it 2-1.
Then, after Rodri had equalised, he capped a frantic five-minute spell by getting on the end of Kevin De Bruyne's low ball to seal a 3-2 win for City - who retained their Premier League crown at Liverpool's expense.
But that could prove to be Gundogan's last act in a City shirt. In an interview with German magazine Kicker, the 31-year-old revealed that he is have discussions with the club about what comes next. He said:
"We will sit down together in due course and exchange our ideas and plans, and then we will see what comes out of it.
He did admit, though, that he struggled to see a better team to play for than Guardiola's City, adding:
"Football-wise, there is certainly still no better address than Manchester City under Pep Guardiola, and I think that will hardly change in the next few years."
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Gundogan has a year left to run on his contract at the Etihad Stadium and turns 32 in October - which, combined, you'd think would dissuade clubs from paying a fee.
But it was reported by 90min earlier this month that City had told their vice-captain he could pursue opportunities elsewhere.
A four-time Premier League champion with City, Gundogan became Guardiola's first signing at the Etihad when he joined from Borussia Dortmund in June 2016.
Tom Hancock started freelancing for FourFourTwo in April 2019 and has also written for the Premier League and Opta Analyst, among others. He supports Wycombe Wanderers and has a soft spot for Wealdstone. A self-confessed statto, he has been known to watch football with a spreadsheet (or several) open...