Ilkay Gundogan's week started with media reports that Manchester City wanted him to leave. Seven days on, he's written himself into club legend, earned a new chant from supporters, and has completely flipped the mood regarding his future at the Etihad. And on top of that, he got married.
If a certain beer-maker did weeks, they'd struggle to top the few days Gundogan has just experienced.
Gundogan has been consistent with his stance regarding his City contract for months. It expires in 2023, he's happy at the club and living in Manchester, and is in no rush to force any contract talks before they are necessary. Now, though, his negotiating position has just become a whole lot stronger.
ALSO READ: Man City player ratings for the entire title-winning 2021-22 season
Those reports that Gundogan would leave in the summer were believable. He's 31, still able to generate a decent transfer fee, and with two forwards arriving in the summer, the likes of Jack Grealish or Phil Foden could be pushed into midfield next year, reducing his potential playing time.
Except the talk of him getting a private plane to Madrid were less believable. He was instead flying to Copenhagen to marry his fiance, with full permission from the club ahead of a title-defining week. And given his match-winning performance against Aston Villa on Sunday, it was the perfect decision.
Gundogan may have felt aggrieved to be named on the bench against Villa, given his big-game experience and calmness in midfield. He may also have been surprised to get the nod ahead of Jack Grealish as City's final substitution when they needed a goal - soon to become two goals - to level the game.
But Pep Guardiola said he wanted Gundogan's ability as a 'second runner' - the best in the club, the manager declared - to add an extra body in the box. When Gundogan arrived at the back post to power in Raheem Sterling's cross, the Etihad went from despair to belief that another title-winning comeback could be on, 10 years after the original.
Martin Tyler said in 2012 that: "I swear you'll never see anything like this again." Gundogan's winner six minutes after his first - and still with nine minutes to go - was slightly less dramatic, but probably as close to Aguero's iconic 93:20 goal as the Premier League may ever get.
When Gundogan was welcomed onto the stage at City's title parade 24 hours later, he couldn't speak for being drowned out by the sound of his new chant. "Ilkay, made the Scousers cry!"
Shortly before, in the foyer of the Hilton, Gundogan told City TV that he is looking forward to the final year of his current contract, and sounded more than calm about his future.
"I'm very settled, I've been here six years. The appreciation from the club is also big, I wouldn't be here six years if the club didn't appreciate me," he said.
"I'm very grateful to play such a great team. I have one more year, I'm looking forward to next year. There's a lot to achieve next year, a lot of things waiting for us. I'm enjoying my time here and I'm grateful for the club. City are a great club, I'm looking forward to it."
If Gundogan felt appreciated before this week, he certainly will feel the love now. His goals vs Villa will go down in City history, making a great servant a club legend. If, or when, City sit down with Gundogan and discuss his future, the quiet German will know his position has become stronger this week when it comes to negotiating any extension.
He has shown, once again, that he is no longer a disposable player, but a key man who still has plenty left to offer.
"I didn't have a choice," he said of his runs into the box on Sunday. "We were 2-0 down with 20 minutes to go, I had to go into the box to sniff the chances. Maybe it was destiny, maybe it was luck."
Raheem Sterling told him in the celebrations of his winner that "that's how the universe works. He hasn't featured as much as he likes, he got the chance to make his mark." And Gundogan himself tweeted that his season wasn't always an easy one personally.
When he looks back though, it couldn't have ended any better. Gundogan has earned legend status at City, and that could help to secure him a new contract after all the celebrations die down.
Sign up to our City newsletter so you never miss an update from the Etihad Stadium this season.
