Gündoğan that I want

İlkay Gündoğan is set to return to Manchester City, a year after he left the club for Barcelona.

The Catalan club’s financial problems are a factor, with the (now-former) Germany international opting to cede the remaining two years of his contract in return for being allowed to leave on a free transfer – the move in the opposite direction a year ago was also without a fee.

Naturally, our focus is on what is on the back of the 33-year-old’s shirt when he returns to Etihad Stadium.

While he was initially announced as City’s number 16 when he became Pep Guardiola’s first signing eight years ago, the departure of Samir Nasri allowed him to move to 8 before he kicked a ball and that is what he kept as he became an integral part of a winning machine, eventually captaining City to the treble of Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League just before his departure.

However, the 8 is now occupied by Mateo Kovačić, who was signed from Chelsea as Gündoğan’s replacement. Assuming that the Croatian doesn’t switch numbers, the other numbers he has worn in his career are all available.

If he wants to have something in the ‘first 11′, the number 4 – freed up by Kalvin Phillips’ loan move to Ipswich Town – is the only option.

The number 1 is vacant, and has been since Claudio Bravo left in 2020, but thankfully league rules stipulate that it must be worn by a goalkeeper.

Prior to joining City, Gündoğan wore 8 for Borussia Dortmund for four seasons but in his first season at Westfalenstadion, he had number 21 and it subsequently became his number for Germany.

So long the property of David Silva at City, it has since been (briefly) worn by Ferran Torres and Sergio Gómez but is available now.

So too is 22, which he wore for Nürnberg for three seasons and also what he had at Barcelona. Gaël Clichy had it at City for five seasons and it was worn after that by Benjamin Mendy.