Gundogan reveals motivation for return to Man City: I'm aiming for more trophies!

After a year away from Barcelona, the midfielder officially completed his long-awaited return to the club this morning.

Gundogan has penned a one-year deal and explained: “Well, obviously the seven years I had here in my first spell, they played a big role (in my decision to return).  

“Getting to know this amazing club, getting to know the people working here, behind everything. Of course, also, the friendships that you made and the memories that you had.  

“But by saying that, I don’t want it to sound too nostalgic to be honest, because it’s still about competing. It’s still about having that drive. It’s still about trying to be the best version of yourself and that’s all an ambition that I still have, incredibly in myself, even though I’m now 33 years old.  

“But I still want to prove myself every day in training sessions and games and still become the best possible version of myself. I still have an incredible sense for winning, for competing and I think the package that you get here, right now today, you can’t find it anywhere else, and that made it for me very, very easy to come back.

"I’m feeling good right now,” he said.

“I played a lot of games last season. I think in terms of minutes you can’t really play much more so I think that also proves somehow that I am even though I’m already on an age maybe where you get a lot of breaks but I still feel very competitive, and I still feel ready to go.  

“And I love the Premier League. It’s the best league in the world and being able to compete in that league again is just a joy.” 

On playing again with Rodri in City's midfield, Gundogan continued: “He doesn’t get so much credit because he’s playing a position that doesn’t score, assists, or it’s not so much on the scoresheet all the time.  But for me he’s one of the best players right now in the world.

“Not just because he won so many trophies, especially recently, also, because he’s so smart, he doesn’t do any mistakes. He is always there.  

“He’s barely injured. He plays all the games and all the games on such a high level.   

“And on top of that, he’s a great guy. He’s a very great, great guy. He’s humble, he’s down to earth. He’s just an amazing person and that combination I think makes him irreplaceable. 

“He’s someone that if there’s someone maybe in our team right now that is irreplaceable, for me it’s definitely Rodri. 

“He’s such an important puzzle piece and he deserves to be named with the best players in the world. Definitely.”