Ilkay Gundogan s dilemma at Manchester City

Let's look at the current Manchester City team. After experiencing the ups and downs of last season, head coach Guardiola will inevitably make some adjustments and streamlining the roster in the summer. Against this background, the future of 34-year-old veteran Ilkai Gundogan has become a topic worth discussing. Although he automatically activates the contract renewal clause for one year through the number of appearances, this does not mean that he will definitely play an equally important role in the plan for the new season.

To analyze Gundogan's future, we must first understand what he means to Guardiola's tactical system. Gundogan has never been a player who plays football based on his body or speed. His greatest value lies in his top "ball maker". He is very good at using his smart off-ball running to find and create space. We see that he suddenly inserted from the back row into the penalty area to complete the shot during the game, which is the best reflection of his ability to read the game. When the team cannot start the situation, his forward-surge can often become a powerful tool to tear away the opponent's intensive defense.

In addition, Gundogan has a very important attribute, that is, he can provide the team with a second, or even a third, stable scoring point outside Haaland. He has been able to contribute double-digit goals in the past few seasons, which is very rare for a midfielder. In modern football, if you rely only on one center to score goals, it is easy to be restricted by your opponent. Gundogan's existence greatly shared Haaland's goal pressure. So we see that Guardiola respects him very much, and there are even rumors that he hopes he can join his coaching staff in the future. This is because he has a deep understanding of Guardiola's football philosophy.

Of course, we also need to see the challenges facing staying Gundogan. As he gets older, his coverage and running ability on the defensive end will definitely decline. If Guardiola sends him and Bernardo Silva to both the midfield, then the hardness of defense and interception ability of the team will become a relatively big hidden danger and are easily counterattacked by the opponent. This is also a tactical problem that Guardiola needs to weigh.

At the same time, we must also see the great efforts Gundoan himself has made to extend his career. He strictly controls his diet and hires nutritionists and personal chefs, showing the high professional qualities of a top player. This spiritual attribute will also be a factor that Guardiola will focus on when making the final decision. Therefore, Guardiola faces a dilemma for Gundogan's future. Do you continue to trust this veteran who is experienced, has a very high football quotient and has the same feelings as you? Or for the sake of the team's vitality and renewal, choose to give young players like Rendez more opportunities? This decision will test Guardiola's wisdom very much and will largely reflect Manchester City's team building ideas in the new season.