Ilkay Gundogan pens emotional open letter to Manchester City fans after Galatasaray switch | OneFootball

Manchester City legend Ilkay Gundogan has issued a personal insight into the reasoning behind his last-minute exit to Galatasaray this summer.

The 34-year-old completed a deadline day free transfer to Galatasaray, signing a two-year deal with the Turkish giants to mark another high-profile departure from the Etihad Stadium to round off a crossroads summer at the club.

Kevin De Bruyne, Kyle Walker, Ederson, James McAtee, Vitor Reis (loan), Claudio Echeverri (loan), Manuel Akanji (loan) and Jack Grealish (loan) are all members of Pep Guardiola’s first-team squad from the recent campaign – who have left the club this summer.

City also confirmed the marquee signing of Gianluigi Donnarumma from Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday, with the 26-year-old signing a five-year deal at the Etihad Stadium and set to join up with Guardiola and his new teammates after the September international break.

An underwhelming start to the 2025-26 campaign – marked by two defeats in their opening trio of Premier League games – can be put down partly to the mass exodus conducted within the first-team squad by newly-appointed director of football Hugo Viana.

That revamp has ended – for now – with the departure of former Manchester City captain Gundogan, who led the Blues to a historic treble in 2023 and returned to the Etihad Stadium last summer following a brief spell in Barcelona.

Gundogan had been linked with a departure from Manchester City all summer but after meeting the conditions as put in his contract to extend his Etihad Stadium into the 2025-26 campaign, it seemed as if the German preferred to stay put for another season.

However, it was the prospect of regular playing time at Galatasaray – a club close to Gundogan’s heart owing to his Turkish descent – that convinced the five-time Premier League winner to start a new chapter away from Manchester City.

In an emotional but honest statement on his social media channels following confirmation of his free transfer from Manchester City to Galatasaray, Gundogan wrote: “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 level for a Champions League team. And not just that – I now have the opportunity to join my childhood favourite club, in a country that means so much to me.

“Man City want a new beginning after an incredible era – something I can fully understand and respect. I will never, ever forget what this great club has done for me over so many years. Most of my time here was absolutely fantastic and incredibly successful.

“The club and the city of Manchester will always hold a very special place in my heart. I want to thank all my teammates, the chairman (Khaldoon Al Mubarak), everyone working behind the scenes, every fan – and of course Pep (Guardiola), who made this amazing time possible. I’m leaving City with great gratitude – Thank you – on behalf of my whole family.”