Ilkay Gundogan has agreed to leave Manchester City for the second time and will join Galatasaray after discussing his future with Pep Guardiola on Monday.
It was a busy transfer deadline day at the Etihad Stadium as City rushed to finalise a deal for Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and sell Ederson to Fenerbahce.
Manuel Akanji has joined Inter Milan on loan after a deal was agreed late on deadline day, while influential former captain Ilkay Gundogan now looks to be another departure, TBR Football can confirm.
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Gundogan will travel to Turkey, where he has family roots, to finalise a permanent exit to Galatasaray on Tuesday.
Ilkay Gundogan held one-to-one talks with Pep Guardiola on transfer deadline day before deciding to leave Manchester City
TBR Football chief correspondent Graeme Bailey reports that Galatasaray returned to earlier interest in Gundogan, who accepted this weekend that he had to leave City.
Bailey says: “Galatasaray touched base with Gundogan earlier this summer as TBR Football confirmed and although he was open to a move, he decided that he would fight for his place.
Now Gundogan following lengthy talks with Pep Guardiola has accepted that his future lies away from Manchester.
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“Gundogan held talks throughout Monday and his people have finalised a two-year contract with an option of another year.
“I am told that he has lengthy talks with Pep both on Monday and the previous week, very harmonious and it was just put to him that he wouldn’t be playing too much but he could stay and play a squad role.”
Ilkay Gundogan has always wanted to play in Turkey, now faces Champions League registration deadline
Bailey adds: “City are not pushing Gundogan out of the door, it’s not quite an Ederson situation who moved to Turkey on Monday.
“Now Gundogan has the chance to play in Turkey, something he has always wanted to do in his career and he does it with Galatasaray.”
While the Turkish transfer window is open for another week, Galatasaray must register any new signing before midnight on Tuesday in order to play them in the Champions League this season.
The UEFA deadline will push Galatasaray to register Gundogan to use him in this season’s competition – which will include a visit to the Etihad Stadium to face City in the final game of the League Phase.