Pep Guardiola has got the man who can do everything back in his squad, but the serial-winning German's return only kicks another problem down the road
"What are they smoking?!" said Liverpool chief John Henry when he learned of Arsenal's derisory £40 million ($52m) plus £1 bid for Luis Suarez in 2013. But when analysing Manchester City's transfer business this summer, a more apt question would be: "What are they having for breakfast?"
City have managed to earn up to £82m ($107m) by selling Julian Alvarez and have managed to get Ilkay Gundogan back, just one year after he left for Barcelona. Alvarez was a useful and prolific forward who filled in admirably for Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland, but he was essentially a squad player who was on the fringes of the team at the business end of last season and in the season when City won the treble the year before.
Gundogan, however, was a key part of the treble-winning side, captaining the team when they hoisted all three trophies and scoring both goals in the FA Cup final. And just one year after City were unable to agree to a new contract for the midfielder, they have secured his return free of charge.
City, then, are reassembling the team that conquered all, bringing back Gundogan while keeping hold of other long-serving players such as Ederson, Kyle Walker, Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne. But there is just one problem with bringing Gundogan back: it threatens to delay a much-needed midfield rebuild.
Getty Gundogan 'does everything'
Although City still won a fourth-consecutive title without Gundogan and were not far from even repeating the treble, they were undoubtedly a worse team overall – lacking both the poise and control the German gave them deeper in midfield as well as his ability to arrive in the area on the end of cut-backs.
City's executives had been reluctant to give him a longer contract at the end of June 2023 due to their policy with players beyond the age of 30, but Guardiola had campaigned for him to stay.
After a stunning two-goal salvo against Everton which effectively sealed the title in May 2023, Guardiola said of the German: "He can do everything, and everything he does, he does well. He doesn’t talk much but when he talks everybody listens, this is the power of the leader.
"He shows his leadership every training session, arriving on time, living 24 hours his job. Close to the box he has an incredible sense of goal, he can play as a holding midfielder defensively without a problem."
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Gundogan was a hugely reliable player most of the time. On other occasions, he was utterly decisive. In the 2021-22 title race he settled City nerves to make it 2-0 against Burnley.
On the final day of the season against Aston Villa, he pulled City back into contention from 2-0 down and then completed the comeback to snatch the title back from Liverpool.
At the business end of the following season he scored twice in a 2-1 win over Leeds, the first and last goals in the 3-0 win at Everton and then both goals in the FA Cup final against Manchester United, the game that mattered most to many fans.
In the 2020-21 season, which City played much of without a recognised striker, was their top scorer, with 13 strikes in the league and 17 overall. Across his final three seasons, he contributed to 39 goals in the Premier League alone. His 13 goal contributions per season is only marginally less than Alvarez's 14.5 and that is while playing in a much deeper position.
Manchester City'Inspiration to many'
Gundogan kept up his strike rate at Barcelona, contributing to 14 goals in La Liga, 18 overall. He also stayed relatively fit, appearing in all but two league games and all Champions League matches. He also brought his insatiable hunger for winning and high standards to Barca and it did not rub off well on his team-mates, who he flayed for not being angrier after defeat to Clasico rivals Real Madrid.
He also criticised Ronald Araujo for an error in the Champions League exit to Paris Saint-Germain. Gundogan has the highest of standards and more than a decade of experience at the highest level, playing in three Champions League finals. No wonder Guardiola wanted him back.
Sporting director Txiki Begiristain hailed Gundogan's qualities as the club confirmed his return on Friday. "Ilkay is one of the finest professionals I have ever worked with. His dedication to football and his approach to every single training session is something special," he said.
"He is also an exceptional midfielder. His reading of the game, his football intelligence, his technical quality and his leadership make him an excellent addition to our squad. To be able to bring him back here is fantastic news for everyone. He will help us in our main objective, which is to win trophies, but he will also be an inspiration to so many."
Getty Many elder statesmen
One thing Alvarez had which Gundogan does not is time. The Argentine turned 24 in January and in October Gundogan will turn 34. He is a dream short-term solution but not one for the future. He will be the third-oldest player in the City squad behind Scott Carson and Walker, but his fellow midfielders are not far behind him.
De Bruyne has just turned 33 and this is likely to be his final season at the club as his contract winds down. Bernardo is 30, as are Mateo Kovacic and hybrid midfielder John Stones. Rodri is 28 and still has at least four years left in him at the top but City will have to begin a succession plan soon.
Because their recent efforts to rejuvenate the midfield have gone badly wrong; Kalvin Phillips was 26 when he joined from Leeds for £43m ($56m) but is now 28 and has been an utter failure. The England international is in his second spell on loan, at Ipswich, after starting just two Premier League games for City, neither of which were of any importance.