Ilkay Gundogan Leaves Manchester City for Galatasaray

German international Ilkay Gundogan has departed Manchester City to join Turkish champions Galatasaray, the two clubs confirmed on Tuesday, September 2. The transfer remains subject to international clearance.

The 34-year-old midfielder featured in 358 matches during two separate spells at City, scoring 65 goals and collecting 14 trophies. Among his honours was the historic treble in 2023, when he captained the side to the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League titles.

Gundogan first arrived in Manchester from Borussia Dortmund in 2016 before leaving for Barcelona in 2023. He returned to City for the 2024–25 season, where he recorded five goals and eight assists in 54 appearances across all competitions.

Galatasaray announced they had secured Gundogan on a free transfer until the summer of 2027. The midfielder will receive a net salary of €4.5 mln ($5.27 mln) in both the 2025–26 and 2026–27 seasons.

Dear Cityzens, I want to be honest with you… the reason why I’m leaving is very simple: I still want to play football as often as possible, because that’s what I love the most. I’ll turn 35 soon, but I still feel very fit and I truly believe I can continue to perform at a high… pic.twitter.com/e4ZeevWQK1
— Ilkay Gündogan (@IlkayGuendogan) September 2, 2025

Reflecting on his departure, Gundogan said: «I have no doubts Manchester City will enjoy much more success in the future and I will certainly be watching on from afar as I continue my career in Turkey, a country that means ever such a lot to me. Manchester City will always hold a special place in my heart. To win the Premier League and FA Cup trophies meant so much to me but to then be afforded the opportunity of lifting the Champions League trophy for this Club for the first time, especially in Istanbul, will live with me forever.»

Kursiv also reports that Liverpool are set for fresh talks with Marc Guehi and Crystal Palace later this month.