Gundogan only excited about ONE new teammate at Barcelona

16 Jul 2023 11:45 BST
3 min read

Ilkay Gundogan of Manchester City, next to the Barcelona badge — © ProShots

Ilkay Gundogan spurned offers from Arsenal and Saudi Arabia to join Barcelona, but it sounds like he left better teammates behind at Manchester City.

Gundogan was Pep Guardiola's first signing as man City manager and remained a first-team regular across his seven-season stay at the Etihad, contributing 11 goals and seven assists to their continental treble campaign last term.

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The midfielder was one of the most in-demand players o this summer's free transfer market, but he only had eyes for Barcelona once they expressed an interest in his services.

READ: From Gundogan to Aguero: Barcelona's insane list of recent free transfers

The Germany international took part in a Q&A on social media recently and was asked which new teammates he was most excited to play alongside. "Ter Stegen, Lewandowski and Pedri," came the response.

OFFICIAL: Barcelona have announced the signing of Ilkay Gundogan on a free transfer from Man City📝 pic.twitter.com/HNEHP6enMh
— Football Transfers (@Transfersdotcom) June 26, 2023

Gundogan also expressed his delight at moving to Camp Nou - "How happy am I? If 10 is most happy, then 11," - but Pedri remains the only player he spoke about who he is yet to play with.

Gundogan competition for Pedri

Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Barca's No.1, is a long-time Germany teammate of Gundogan's, their pair having made the senior international debuts within a year of each other in 2011 and 2012, while he and Robert Lewandowski spent three seasons together at Borussia Dortmund.

READ: Araujo among 'seven or eight exits' at Barcelona this summer

Pedri was European Football's Golden Boy before Barca teammate Gavi inherited the title in October, and Gundogan figures to provide competition for them both next season, although he could drop deeper with Sergio Busquets having left for Inter Miami.

Barca are also working on bringing Gundogan's former Man City teammate Bernardo Silva to the Camp Nou. Unlike Gundogan, Bernardo still has two years left on his contract at the Etihad, but Frenkie de Jong could be used in a potential swap deal, as preciously exlusively reported by FootballTransfers.