LONDON (AP) – Moments earlier than Ilkay Gundogan raised aloft the FA Cup trophy to fireworks inside Wembley Stadium, the Manchester City captain leaned over the rostrum and had a quick phrase with membership chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak.
City followers will likely be hoping the subject of the dialog was a brand new deal for a participant who continues to provide when it issues most for supervisor Pep Guardiola.
As it stands, Gundogan’s ultimate sport for City would be the Champions League ultimate in Istanbul subsequent Saturday, when the group will try and beat Inter Milan and clinch an English Premier League-FA Cup-European Cup treble.
How, although, can City let the Germany midfielder go after his newest match-winning show within the 2-1 victory over Manchester United on Saturday?
Gundogan delivered once more, like he has for a lot of the ultimate weeks of this season. Like he did within the ultimate sport of final season, when scoring two late targets to clinch the Premier League.
And like he has accomplished for just about the entire of Guardiola’s time at City, having joined in the identical summer season because the Spanish coach in 2016.
“I don’t need these kind of days to feel appreciated and feel special in this club,” Gundogan stated after scoring after 13 seconds and once more within the 51st minute to guide City to victory within the first all-Manchester FA Cup ultimate. “I know that and that is why I have been here seven years.”
So, will he be staying at City?
“Nothing is decided yet,” he stated. “We’ll see what will happen.”
A one-year extension is on the desk for the 32-year-old Gundogan. He desires a two-year deal, reportedly for some longer-term safety for him and his household.
Guardiola clearly desires to maintain Gundogan. They are good pals – they dwell subsequent door to one another in an condominium block in Manchester – they usually have the identical footballing imaginative and prescient.
Gundogan is maybe the participant who finest epitomizes the Guardiola period at City.
“He knows what I think of him,” Guardiola stated. “(City sporting director) Txiki (Begiristain) is working on it, hopefully we can do it. The season he has done is exceptional.”
Gundogan is a FA Cup record-breaker after scoring the quickest ever purpose within the ultimate, timed at 12.91 seconds in accordance with the BBC, and the scorer of a cup-winning purpose.
Guardiola, who has performed Gundogan as a holding midfielder, a box-to-box central midfielder and a second striker off Erling Haaland this season, praised his mentality and consistency of efficiency.
“He plays the big games like they are friendlies,” Guardiola stated. “He can cope with the pressure.”
If the Champions League is to be Gundogan’s final sport – he has been linked with a transfer to Barcelona if he does go away City – then he’s determined to exit as a treble winner.
“We have a chance to do something special and win the treble and we do not want to let this opportunity pass us by,” he stated.
“I can promise our fans we will do everything we can to win in Istanbul.”
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