Gündogan the Man

 For £20 million, German International Ilkay Gündogan became the first signing of Pep Guardiola’s era at Manchester City. For those who witnessed the efforts of Borussia Dortmund in reaching the 2013 UEFA Champions League Finals, you probably already know the quality which he possesses. If there was any doubt, shortly after this signing was confirmed, a certain Paul Scholes expressed his admiration for Gündogan as a keen observer during his time at Dortmund and stated that once he can maintain fitness, he can be a fantastic player. But this is where the German has had most of his career lows. Consistent injuries have plagued his career and even lead to him missing out on a World Cup Winners medal in 2014 as well as the chance to represent at the 2016 Euros. Devastating. However, he continues to carry on. 

Guardiola described Gündogan as “Exceptional” and that he can play in many different positions along with a great work ethic. Former manager Jürgen Klopp also attributed tireless energy and versatility to Gündogan’s game as he excelled in the roles of a defensive midfielder, central midfielder and can hold his own as a playmaker. This has been exhibited at Manchester City as his vision, technical skills and versatility has been called upon at the roles of a number 6, 8 and even at the number 10. Ilkay is most renowned for his abilities in the circulation of possession and excellent positional awareness in moving into spaces or creating spaces for other players, however, he certainly is capable of goal contributions given the freedom and should the opportunity arise.

“You cannot believe how good he is. He is exceptional. He is one of the best signings in this Club’s history.” 

Such admiration from the Man City boss.

Gündogan holds the record for the most attempted passes in a Premier League game (174) and the most completed passes (167) in a 1-0 win against Chelsea in 2018.

These words from Gündogan described him perfectly - “Someone said to me once I perhaps don’t shine but I allow others to shine, and that’s how I see myself. You cannot just build a team of eleven players playing the same type of football and same type of characters and players.” Sure enough, all the successful teams in history have had players that accepted roles which allowed the players to play in harmony to achieve success. And with 7 goals in 14 appearances in this season’s Premier League campaign, he seems to be performing his role with distinction, as Manchester City are without talisman Kevin De Bruyne through injury. We should all hope that he remains healthy and continues to progress as he truly is a wonderful footballer.