Ilkay Gundogan has now played 351 games under Pep Guardiola across his two stints at Manchester City.
He is becoming synonymous with the footballing ideas of the Spaniard, under whom the German has now won five Premier League titles and one Champions League title.
The midfielder has now confirmed some plans for his future beyond Manchester City, revealing that he would be interested in becoming Guardiola’s assistant at some point in the future.
He told Sport BILD: “I haven’t asked him, no. But there’s probably nothing better than starting out as Pep’s assistant: the examples of the last few years have shown that it can pave the way for a coaching career. Being Pep’s assistant coach would be extremely appealing to me.”
Speaking further about his coaching badges, Gundogan revealed that he’s earned a UEFA B licence already.
“Yes, the B licence. My last information was that if you want to start with the A licence, you have to already be working as a coach somewhere – as an assistant or in the youth system.”
The Germany international also made it clear that he can play at the highest level for about two more years and he feels ready to do that, physically.
“I want to play football for a few more years: because I feel absolutely ready for it, I’m very fit, and I take care of my body. I can feel that I really enjoy football: not just another year, but at least two years, maybe even three or four. I’m already thinking about what comes after that.”
Considering how Gundogan has played 47 times in all competitions this season, he is certainly physically capable of playing regularly.
He didn’t pick up a single injury in the campaign and that is quite a promising sign for the Citizens, who will have him at the Etihad until the summer of 2026.
Things seem in place for the 34-year-old to have a career in management, especially keeping in mind that many of Guardiola’s former players have excelled at major clubs across Europe.
The key for him is to keep learning from his manager as it can help him not just in the short-term but in the long-term as well.
