Galatasaray sign Man City’s Gundogan on free transfer

Ilkay Gundogan, a veteran German midfielder, has joined Galatasaray on a free transfer from Manchester City.

The Turkish champions’ 34-year-old has agreed to a deal with them until the end of the 2026-27 season.

Gundogan’s City contract had a year left, but he was permitted to leave with the opening transfer window in Turkey until September 12.

Manchester City will always be special to me, said Gundogan, who scored 65 goals in 358 games for City.

“We have had a lot of success during our time together, and it’s been a lot of unforgettable experiences, not the least of which being the Treble-winning season’s captain.”

I’m forever grateful for the Premier League and FA Cup victories, but it meant a lot to me to have the opportunity to win the Champions League trophy for this club, especially in Istanbul.

“Manchester City will undoubtedly experience a lot more success in the future, and I’ll be watching closely as I pursue my career there, a nation that has always meant a lot to me,” he added.

Before joining Barcelona on a free transfer in 2023, Gundogan was Pep Guardiola’s first signing for City in 2016. He spent seven years there.

He returned to City in August 2024, making 33 Premier League appearances for Guardiola’s side, which finished third overall.

Gundogan, who was born in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, has won the Premier League five times in 2022-23, as well as the Champions League.

Prior to joining Borussia Dortmund, he played for Bochum, Nuremberg, and Dortmund.

Hugo Viana, the city’s director of football, said, “Ilkay Gundogan is a name synonymous with success at Manchester City.”

Take a look at the amount of experience that has been lost from the dressing room once Manchester City’s summer squad overhaul is complete, including Kevin de Bruyne, Kyle Walker, Jack Grealish, Ederson, Manuel Akanji, and now Ilkay Gundogan.

Manager Pep Guardiola made a public point about the necessity of working with a smaller squad because he did not want to “leave four or five players at home” on matchdays, but a new, younger group will now lead the club.

Gundogan would be permitted to explore his options if a good enough offer came in, according to sources who had earlier told BBC Sport, and he has been given the option to leave.

Gundogan, who is German-born but has Turkish roots, appears to have supported Galatasaray as a club when he first posted such images on social media.