Ilkay Gundogan has defended Jack Grealish in his classy Manchester City leaving message.
After weeks of speculation, it was confirmed on Monday morning that Gundogan will leave City for Barcelona when his contract expires at the end of the month.
German midfielder Gundogan was Pep Guardiola’s first signing as City boss when he joined from Borussia Dortmund in a deal worth a reported £20 million.
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Gundogan went on to make 304 appearances for the Etihad club, scoring 60 goals, winning 14 trophies.
As he says his goodbye to City, he defended Grealish in his classy leaving message.
He wrote in The Player’s Tribune: “I just want to say that Jack Grealish is so misunderstood by some of the media. He is one of the nicest guys I’ve met in football. He’s so much fun to be around and so humble and pure.
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“I felt so happy for his success this season, because I know what it’s like to come to a big club for a lot of money, with all that pressure. He worked so hard to get to another level this season, and he was fantastic for us.”
Grealish was signed for a record fee in the summer of 2021 and struggled to impress during his first season as a City player.
However, the 27-year-old stepped up his game during the 22/23 season and produced a series of brilliant performances to help City clinch a historic treble.
Despite his impressive displays, Grealish was criticised for celebrating too much as he was seen enjoying himself after the Champions League final and during City’s open top bus parade.
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Grealish himself has recently defended his actions, he said: “I know obviously some people have had a little bit to say about me celebrating but you’ve got to remember, the whole team celebrated, it was not just me.
“There were a few videos of me and stuff but I went back on my camera roll on my phone, I was in pre-season on 11th of July and it’s now 19th of June. I’ve been playing for nearly 12 months so give us a break will you, I’m just enjoying myself.”
Featured Image Credit: Man City/AlamyTopics: Manchester City, Ilkay Gundogan, Jack Grealish, Football