Manchester City captain Ilkay Gundogan has delivered a fresh update on his future at the club, as his contract continues to wind down towards its expiry.
Signing from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2016, Ilkay Gundogan became one of the very first signings of the Pep Guardiola era.
Fast-forward almost seven years later, and the Germany international midfielder is regarded by all fans of the club as a true hero and legend.
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Last season alone, Ilkay Gundogan delivered one of the finest moments of anyone in a Sky Blue shirt, as his two goals against Aston Villa on the final day of the Premier League season won Manchester City's fourth English top-flight title in five seasons.
But while the performances of the former Dortmund man have been exemplary, there remains some element of doubt over his future as he enters the final few months of his current Etihad Stadium deal.
Speaking during a new interview with German newspaper Kicker, as translated and relayed by Get German Football News, Ilkay Gundogan was firstly quizzed on when fans can expect a decision on his future.
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Gundogan insisted a sense of personal calmness on the situation, and believes that while he is into the final year of contract at the Premier League champions, the expiry date of his current deal is still far away.
"I don’t know if it has anything to do with age but I’m pretty relaxed about it," Gundogan opened.
"Even if it doesn’t sound like much anymore, the summer of 2023 still feels so far away. I’m not really worried about that at the moment."
Ilkay Gundogan continued by highlighting the situation concerning the Manchester City manager too, as he said, "It’s not even clear what’s going to happen to our coach (Pep Guardiola). His contract only runs until 2023 and nobody knows how he plans."
The 32 year-old Germany international was questioned further on the influence of Pep Guardiola's own decision on his future, and whether he is banking on the Catalan coach taking him somewhere with him next summer, should he decide to call an end to his Manchester City career.
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While Gundogan stressed the importance of personnel in the head coach role when it comes to making a decision on his future, he insisted how happy he is with life in Manchester.
"I haven’t thought that far but in my career I’ve always made my decisions dependent on who the coach is there because that’s the most important thing for a footballer, is that the coach values you but can also challenge and encourage you," Gundogan said.
"That hasn’t changed for me to this day although I feel very comfortable in Manchester and I’m very satisfied."
He continued, "I have a lot to thank the club for and have experienced a lot of great moments. I can basically imagine staying for a few more years."
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Ilkay Gundogan and the majority of his Manchester City teammates have now brought an end to their domestic duties with the club for the next month, as they embark on the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
For Gundogan, it means representing Germany at the tournament - a nation regarded as one of the favourites to take home football's very top prize.
Featured Image Credit: PA Images / AlamyTopics: Ilkay Gundogan, Manchester City, Manchester City Transfer News & Rumours, Premier League, Football, Transfers, Pep Guardiola