Manchester City look set to bring Ilkay Gundogan back to the Etihad Stadium just 14 months after he quit the club to join Barcelona. But he will be handed a new shirt number after Mateo Kovacic took on the No. 8 jersey following the German’s departure.
Gundogan was a regular for Barca last season as he started 33 La Liga matches and nine Champions League clashes.
But he was placed on a 10-man transfer list at the Nou Camp earlier this month, with Barcelona chiefs sanctioning his exit.
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According to Spanish publication Sport, Gundogan’s departure to City is imminent. The midfield genius held talks with his former employers on Monday and personally called Citizens boss Pep Guardiola and asked him to help speed up the negotiations.
Gundogan wore the No. 8 shirt in all seven of his campaigns at the Etihad Stadium, where he was made permanent captain ahead of his final season.
But he won’t be able to claw the jersey back from Kovacic, who played the full 90 minutes and bagged a goal as City defeated Chelsea in their Premier League opener on Sunday.
Instead, Gundogan may have to choose between the No. 21 and the No. 22. The 33-year-old has worn the No. 21 shirt for the majority of his international career with Germany and also donned the same number during his first season at Borussia Dortmund.
The veteran previously wore the No. 22 during his three-year stint with Nuremberg and was handed the same number after putting pen-to-paper on a deal at Barcelona.
He previously played in the No. 35 shirt at Bochum, which is available, and has also represented his country while wearing the No. 2, No. 7, No. 14 and No. 19.
Gundogan could decide he wants a single-digit starting shirt, with the No. 4 up for grabs following Kalvin Phillips’ loan move to Ipswich. The No. 7 could also come into contention in the coming days if Joao Cancelo secures a move away from the club. Meanwhile, the 12, 13, 14 and 19 are yet to be filled.
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Gundogan brought his City career to an end last summer after captaining the team to a Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup treble.
He bagged 60 goals and 38 assists in 304 appearances for the club and lifted the top-flight trophy an incredible five times.
And Guardiola previously explained: “He’s so intelligent, Gundo - so clever and competitive. Under pressure he handles it without a problem. He’s one of the best players I ever trained in my career in terms of the whole package. He’s top, top class.”
