After a long operation that involved a number of advances and retreats, FC Barcelona have finally been able to sign one of their priorities for the next season, Ilkay Gundogan. Having reached an agreement with the club last Wednesday, the German has officially been confirmed as the latest Barcelona signing.
It’s only a few minutes since his signing has been made official, and the German has already outlined his feelings and justifications for the move in a letter to The Player’s Tribune, which has been reported by Mundo Deportivo.
The German will have his contract expired with Manchester City at the end of June, and would join Barcelona as a free agent. Talking about his choice of the new club, Gundogan stated:
If I was going to move, there is only one club in the world that made sense. It was Barcelona or nothing. Ever since I was a little kid, I dreamed of wearing that shirt someday.
With his new club, Gundogan will be competing in La Liga, which has a different approach to play than the Bundesliga and the Premier League where Gundogan has played before, and would also have to adapt to the new club and Xavi’s different style and approach to the game. Talking on these aspects, the German commented that:
I am confident that I have a few more years left at the highest level, and I just want to help bring Barcelona back to where they deserve to be. It will be a reunion with my old friend Lewa, and I’m excited to play under another manager who I have admired for a long time.
When Xavi and I talked about the project, it just seemed so natural. I see so many similarities between us as characters and in the way we see the game.
He further commented on his decision to join Barcelona, and claimed:
I know there’s going to be a lot of pressure at Barcelona. But I love pressure. I love to get out of my comfort zone. I was not looking for an easy landing. I was looking for a new challenge. That’s what this next chapter is all about.
Reciprocating the feeling of the Blaugrana fans, the player himself cannot wait to don the famous garnet and blue kit, and commented that he “can’t wait to play in the Barcelona shirt”.
Thus, with this important piece of the club’s plans completed, the Catalan giants would be looking to strengthen their other areas on the pitch. Meanwhile, the fans will be hoping to see a player of Gundogan’s quality and experience weave his magic for the Blaugranes, and help them get back to the top in Europe.
