Departing Manchester City captain Ilkay Gundogan has left a heartfelt letter to the fans at the Etihad, but also explained his reasons for joining Barcelona.
The 32-year-old’s move on a free to Barcelona was confirmed on Monday morning, with the German midfielder signing a two-year deal with an option for a third.
Writing in the Player’s Tribune, Gundogan admitted it was hard to say goodbye to Pep Guardiola.
“One of the hardest calls I had to make was to Pep, telling him that I was going to leave. All I could do was to say thank you. Not just for this season, or for all the trophies, but for bringing me here in the first place.”
“I think maybe Pep was hoping that we would come here to City together and leave together, but I know that he understands my decision. I am sure it helps that I’m going to his boyhood club.”
However Gundogan said that there was only one place that he would have gone if he was leaving Manchester City.
“If I was going to move, there is only one club in the world that made sense. It was Barcelona or nothing. Ever since I was a little kid, I dreamed of wearing that shirt some day. I am confident that I have a few more years left at the highest level, and I just want to help bring Barcelona back to where they deserve to be. It will be a reunion with my old friend Lewa, and I’m excited to play under another manager who I have admired for a long time. When Xavi and I talked about the project, it just seemed so natural. I see so many similarities between us as characters and in the way we see the game.”
Cules will be hoping that Gundogan can have a similar impact to Robert Lewandowski, who was a major part of their first La Liga title in four years.
Gundogan was under no illusions that it would be no easy task though – the Blaugrana have exited the Champions League group stage for the last two seasons, and improvement there is their main target this season.
“I know there’s going to be a lot of pressure at Barcelona. But I love pressure. I love to get out of my comfort zone. I was not looking for an easy landing. I was looking for a new challenge. That’s what this next chapter is all about.”
“I can’t wait to play in the Barcelona shirt.”
Gundogan is likely to be a guaranteed starter in the Barcelona midfield next season with Pedri, but the structure of that midfield is not yet clear. Whether Frenkie de Jong is trusted as that deeper midfielder, or whether Xavi Hernandez uses four midfielders again remains to be seen.
