Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has said that he would like to spend the rest of his career at the Etihad Stadium, although he would be open to a move to Turkey or the United States of America if his contract is not renewed.
The 31-year-old’s contract is currently due to run out in the summer of 2023 and has already spent six seasons with the five-time Premier League winners, with Gundogan and company hoping to add another league title to that tally this season.
Gundogan has said that he would like to spend the rest of his career at the Etihad Stadium and stay beyond when his current contract expires. However, if there is no new deal on the table for him at the end of next season, Gundogan has given a hint as to where he would like to play his club football if he was to depart the Sky Blues.
It seems a visit to Turkey, the country of his parents would interest him, as would playing in Major League Soccer. "Because of my roots, Turkey is naturally interesting," the 31-year-old told Sport1. "I also like the USA, I've been there on vacation several times.
"However, I'm not worried about that at the moment. I still have a contract in Manchester until 2023, I'm very happy there, both in sporting and private terms, and I can theoretically imagine ending my career at City."
Since his arrival from Borussia Dortmund in 2016, Gundogan has played 248 times for the Sky Blues, scoring 47 goals in that time. Of those goals, 17 of them came last season, a tally 11 higher than his previous best record for a season in all competitions of six, which he notched in his second and third campaigns with Guardiola’s side.
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Internationally, Gundogan has played 56 times for Germany since making his senior debut in 2011, scoring 14 goals. However, he missed the 2014 World Cup due to injury, Germany’s first lift of the trophy since for 24 years.
Since joining City, Gundogan has won three Premier League trophies, one FA Cup, four Carabao Cups, two Community Shields and played in last season’s Champions League final defeat to Chelsea. His form last season earned him the Premier League Player of the Month award for both January and February of 2021. He was also named in the Premier League Team of the Season and the Champions League Squad of the Season.
Gundogan will hope to reach the final of this season’s Champions League when City take on Real Madrid in the semi-finals. The first leg takes place at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday night, with the reverse leg happening at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday, May 4.
Should Gundogan and City reach the final, it would be the third of his career, having got there with Dortmund in 2013, losing to Bayern Munich in the final.
