The Germany international Ilkay Gundogan has become the first signing of Pep Guardiola’s reign at Manchester City.
We explore three reasons why Manchester City will benefit from signing the 25-year-old midfielder.
1. Add creativity to Manchester City’s midfield
Manchester City lack creativity in central midfield and could be lacking depth if Yaya Toure leaves over the summer. Fernandao and Fernandinho provide solid defensive cover but do not offer a lot going forwards.
The addition of Gündoğan will add depth and creativity to the City midfield. The 25-year-old midfielder had a passing accuracy of 84 percent this season and can be deployed in an attacking or defensive role.
2. Provide defensive Cover
There is more to Gundogan’s game than his technical ability and attacking prowess. The Germany international is also adept at recovering possession high up the field while knowing when to hold position if required.
The 25-year-old averaged 1.5 interceptions and 2.3 tackles per-game last season. City struggled defensively this season conceding the most number of goals in the top four (4) and Guardiola will be keen on ensuring the same defensive frailties do not carry over into the next campaign.
3. UEFA Champions League experience
Gundogan played a key role in Dortmund’s progression to the UEFA Champions League in the 2012-13 season and scored in the final against Bayern Munich. Gundogan has won the Bundesliga, German Cup and played in a European Championship semi-final.
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