Gündogan remains officially at Manchester City: contract extension!

Gündogan remains officially at Manchester City: contract extension!

Manchester, England - ilkay Gündogan has extended his contract at Manchester City by another year until 2026. This automatic contract extension was activated thanks to a clause in the original contract, which was valid until 2025. Trainer Pep Guardiola confirmed the positive news after the 5-2 victory against Crystal Palace, in which Gündogan was in the starting XI for the fourth time in a row and played the entire 90 minutes. Guardiola praised the return of Gündogan to his old form, in particular its activity, speed and defensive intelligence.

Despite these positive developments, the future of the German international remains uncertain. Gündogan's whereabouts could depend heavily on the qualification of the team for the Champions League. Manchester City is currently fighting for one of the coveted Champions League places with Nottingham Forrest, Newcastle United, Chelsea and Aston Villa. The team currently occupies fifth place in the Premier League and has several games in front of their chest in the next few weeks, including games against Everton, Aston Villa, Wolverhampton, Southampton, Bournemouth and Fulham.

Champions League future uncertain

Guardiola has already indicated that future decisions about Gündogan's whereabouts also depend on team performance. If Manchester City does not achieve the qualification for the Champions League, this could affect the plans of the midfielder. Rumors about a possible change to Galatasaray Istanbul also circulate where a transfer -free transfer is in the room.

The current season of the Premier League is characterized by an intensive transfer situation. According to Transfermarkt , there were a total of 372 departures and 393 entrances up to this point, with a total amount of over 2.85 billion euros for transfer expenses and about 1.79 billion euros. The balance sheet remains negative, with a deficit of more than 1 billion euros.

Manchester City, like other top clubs, has to plan strategically in order not only to stay successful, but also financially. The coming weeks will be decisive for the sporting ambitions of the club and the future of players like Ilkay Gündogan.