Ilkay Gundogan has admitted that Xavi played a huge role in persuading him to leave Manchester City for Barcelona.
The 32-year-old lifted the Champions League in June to complete a famous treble for City, bringing the curtain down on a trophy-laden career at the Etihad Stadium.
City had hoped to persuade Gundogan to sign a new one-year contract with the option of a further 12 months, but he opted to take on the challenge of joining Barcelona, who wrestled back the La Liga title from Real Madrid last season.
Gundogan was unveiled as a Barcelona player on Monday afternoon, where he provided insight into how a conversation with Xavi convinced him that now was the time to move.
"The first moment we talked to each other, I just felt it was right to come here, join the club and have the opportunity to prove myself at a different club and a different country," Gundogan said. "I was close to coming here two times earlier but it was not meant to be. Now it is the time.
"Xavi made his ideas of how the team wants to play very clear. It's very similar to how we played in Man City. It's a similar school, Guardiola, Xavi…In the way he approached the talks, the honesty from him I saw sort of my own character reflected in him.
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"It was probably not much of what he said but especially how he said it, which sometimes is more important."
Pep Guardiola had been the driving force behind City's desire to keep Gundogan, after making the German club captain after the departure of Fernandinho in 2022. And their close relationship is why Gundogan made sure that his manager was the first person to be informed of his decision to move on.
"For me, it was important that he was the first to know," Gundogan revealed. "I expressed my gratitude to him, in a way I consider that he was happy and that when I needed anything about the club and about the city I would ask him for advice.
“It’s not so much that Pep lacked [anything]. I’ve known him well, for seven years, but I like challenges and constantly surpassing myself. All that the coach and the club have done to convince me, is that my desire to sign for the club has grown a lot.”
Gundogan has proven his credentials at City time and time again, but also stressed: "It’s an opportunity to show who I am, new team, new country, new city and even though I’m an age, I still have a lot to show.”
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This article was originally published on 90min as Ilkay Gundogan reveals why he left Man City for Barcelona.