Former Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan spoke about his future plans and what he hopes Pep Guardiola's replacement will have.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MAY 24: Ilkay Gundogan during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Aston Villa at Etihad Stadium on May 24, 2026 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
Ilkay Gundogan back at Manchester City on Sunday
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Ilkay Gundogan asked Manchester City fans to try not to use Pep Guardiola to judge his successor as he keeps one eye on a coaching return to the club in future years. Enzo Maresca is expected to step into the legendary manager's formidable shoes but Gundogan would like whoever takes over to have whatever changes they bring greeted with an open mind.
Replacing Guardiola is going to be one of the hardest jobs for CEO Ferran Soriano and sporting director Hugo Viana, yet it is one that they have wrestled with for months and years. As Gundogan returned to Manchester with his family for the final Premier League game of the manager's tenure at the club, he would like to see the new coach be allowed to make his own decisions.
The German midfielder was at the Etihad for the first seven years of Guardiola's time with the club and then returned for a second spell in the 2024/25 season, so knows better than most what the Catalan has done for the football club. However, he has also experienced life with different managers and has learned to embrace what others can do for players.
"I think the most difficult thing is not to try to compare too much," he said. "There are obviously a few names circling around, and we might be able to see who it's going to be. But maybe don't try to, don't compare one to one, you know, because at the end of the day every manager has his small little details; maybe not as a general, but there are things that they would like to do differently.
"They are different as human beings. They like other things than other people like, so just accept it, try to get to where that comes in, welcome with open arms, and I think the club is very good and very smart, you know, in kind of taking the right decisions, so I'm sure that the new person coming back in here will be also very successful."
Gundogan will always hold a special place in City history after captaining the team to the Treble in 2023, including scoring the fastest goal in FA Cup final history as they downed United a week before making more memories in Istanbul. He is also one of the players that Guardiola is closest to, given they were neighbours in the same apartment block for many years.
The pair still speak on the phone and while Gundogan lapped up all the team meetings that Guardiola would do - even if they bored other players - one of his favourite memories of their time together is a bust-up on the training pitch. The 35-year-old signed for Galatasaray this season and still thinks he has years left, yet has made no secret about the fact that he has started his coaching qualifications and said there is 'definitely potential' to return in the future.
"There are memories where I got into fights with him on the training pitch. As an example, with Leroy [Sane] we still talk about one situation that happened in training when he was still here. Pep was saying something and I screamed back at him but he was actually saying something nice to me and I lost my head and he was laughing about the whole situation, so we're still sitting there and talking about these memories," said Gundogan.
"I have a laugh about it, there were just so many things happening, that's why I think at the end of the day it's more up to that human side of him as well. Obviously me being his neighbour, that was maybe also more opportunities to exchange conversations on that side by just having a glass of wine or champagne or whatever. So I really appreciated that and I really appreciate him as a man. As a manager we don't need to talk about him, everyone loves it, but as a human being, for me, he's an amazing human being.
"We were joking around actually a little bit, with my wife as well as with people in the club [about me coming back as a coach]. Of course, there's a chance. Obviously, it depends a little on my own decisions, on my drive also, in terms of how I want to evolve after finishing or pursuing my active career. I feel like I have still a couple of really good years with me. I would like to play a little more because I'm still enjoying it to play.
"But obviously long-term, everyone knows it's not a secret that I started doing my coaching badges and tried to see in which kind of direction I would like to go, you know, after my career. And there's definitely potential, 100 per cent. I mean, this place has given me as a player everything I wanted. So why not try it also in a different role?"