Ilkay Gundogan was always a gamble for Manchester City, which is perhaps one of the reasons the club were able to sign him. On the verge of leaving Borussia Dortmund for several windows, Gundogan’s fitness issues had seen other moves fade away.
Pep Guardiola was such a fan of the midfielder that a gamble seemed worth it, and even if Manchester City can only have the player for two thirds of the season then it’s a pay off worth taking.
However, that wasn’t the case last season and now Gundogan is working hard to get ready for the new campaign. Pressure will be on even more for Guardiola in his second season, and he’ll want Gundogan on the pitch.
Asked by SportBild how close he is to a comeback, the Manchester City player said: “If I had to put a figure on it, I would say at 70%.
“Whether I am fit for the first game day, or only for the fifth or sixth, does not matter to me. What is important is that I can feel safe and give everything again.”
Gundogan is back in training so there’s every chance he’ll be available before several games into the Premier League season. The German international will certainly want to be, even if it’s the Champions League which excites him most.
When asked by SportBild which competition he’d prefer to win, Gundogan said: “Both! We work for this daily. My perception is that for the fans in England the Premier League stands above all. For us players the Champions League is certainly the biggest, also because City has never won it.”
