Not long after leaving Barca, midfielder Ilkay Gundogan returned to Man City with a 1-year contract, with an option to extend for 1 year.

Midfielder Ilkay Gundogan is set to return to Man City. The deal comes just a year after he left the Etihad Stadium to join Barcelona. It is understood that Gundogan will sign a one-year contract with The Citizens, with an option to extend for another year.

The German midfielder met with Pep Guardiola at the Tast Catala restaurant.

Gundogan, Pep and CEO Ferran Soriano had a meal for around 50 minutes.

Man City will be delighted to welcome Gundogan back as he is a versatile midfielder and well-versed in Pep’s philosophy.

During his eight-year spell at the Etihad, Gundogan made 304 appearances in all competitions, scoring 60 goals and providing 38 assists.

Gundogan has won a host of trophies with City, including the Champions League, five Premier League titles, two FA Cups and four League Cups.

In 2022, Gundogan’s wife Sara Arfaoui complained about the food in Manchester.

However, things became more complicated for Gundogan’s family in Spain. Sara accused Barca’s board of directors of not supporting her family in the early days of arriving in Barcelona.

Unhappy at Barca, and no longer in Hansi Flick’s plans, Gundogan and Barca decided to terminate the contract early.

This helps Barca clear about 14 million euros in salary funds and can register Dani Olmo.