Latest news with #Gundogan
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
City star thinks Liverpool are not getting 'world-class' player in Florian Wirtz
Liverpool will need to spend a British record transfer fee to complete the signing of Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen, who was once deemed 'not world-class' by a team-mate Manchester City star Ilkay Gundogan believes Florian Wirtz is not ' world -class' yet, as the latter looks likely to join Liverpool in a record transfer fee. The Reds are ready to break the bank for Wirtz this summer, despite so far being unwilling to meet Bayer Leverkusen's £126.4m (€150million) asking price. Liverpool will pay £100m guaranteed to sign Wirtz as they look to close a deal, Mirror Football understands. But they remain locked in talks with the Bundesliga club over add-ons, the structure of the transfer and payments as no agreement is finalised. Wirtz has not yet been given permission to travel for a medical yet and nothing has been arranged. Liverpool submitted a third bid for the Germany international last week that consisted of £100m guaranteed with £14m in add-ons. And although it did not meet Leverkusen's valuation, it was not rejected. Talks have been ongoing between the clubs since it was lodged. Liverpool remain adamant in the talks that they will not pay the £126.5m asking price and are continuing discussions over the total amount of add-ons and how they would be structured. Regardless of how close the deal is to completion, Liverpool will have to break the Premier League 's transfer record for the 22-year-old, who has his heart set on moving to Anfield after turning down approaches from Manchester City and Bayern Munich last month. It is a mammoth sum, especially when considering that Wirtz's Germany team-mate Gundogan stated he is still not a world-class player earlier this year. Gundogan looks set to miss out on being club team-mates with Wirtz too, who would have filled the shoes of Kevin De Bruyne following the Belgian legend's Etihad departure. Gundogan knows Wirtz's game well, having played with both him and Bayern's talented Jamal Musiala for Germany for a number of years. He has a high opinion of both, but thinks that if either want to be recognised as world-class, they will need to join a club capable of winning the Champions League – something Wirtz hopes to accomplish if he joins Liverpool. "They're very close to world class. Maybe they are not yet there but they could be the best in the world in a short amount of time," Gundogan said earlier this year. "I feel like it is just proving themselves a little bit more. They are very young. Jamal has done a bit more than Florian because he played a little more at that high level. "When you want to be on top and admired as the world's best one day, it's necessary to win the Champions League and Jamal has already played a few years in the Champions League but hasn't won it yet. "For Flo, it is the first season with Champions League with Leverkusen. To be there every single year, to try to get to the semis and final and win it at one point is unavoidable to be world class. "Of course, they have the potential and the quality. I played with them for the last two years in the national team and both of them have everything and they prove it with their teams and the national team. They are both great guys and great characters so they will be there at one point." Bayern had previously been favourites to sign Wirtz before Liverpool stole a march on the Bavarians, while City ended their long-running interest in the player for financial reasons. Liverpool, meanwhile, have begun the summer transfer window in strong form with sporting director Richard Hughes already signing Jeremie Frimpong and young goalkeeper Armin Pecsi. Giorgi Mamardashvili will also join Arne Slot 's side, having agreed to move from Valencia last year.
Rhyl Journal
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Rhyl Journal
Manchester City clinch Champions League spot with victory at Fulham
City required just one point at Craven Cottage to guarantee a top-five finish in the Premier League, and Gundogan put them in the driving seat with his sensational opener after 21 minutes. Fulham created a series of good chances, but Haaland made sure of the victory with 18 minutes remaining as City secured a third-placed finish with Fulham dropping one spot to 11th. A special goal from Ilkay Gundogan at Fulham 🚴♂️#FULMCI — Premier League (@premierleague) May 25, 2025 Kevin De Bruyne began his final match in a City shirt from the bench while Jack Grealish was not included in Pep Guardiola's squad at all. Grealish has started just seven league matches this season and his final-day omission here will intensify rumours that he could leave the Etihad this summer. With their Champions League future on the line, Guardiola described Sunday's fixture as the most important of their season, and they dominated the opening exchanges before landing a brilliant breakthrough midway through the first period. Matheus Nunes beat Antonee Robinson in the air, and then received the ball back off Omar Marmoush. Nunes drove into the Fulham penalty area and attempted to dink the onrushing Bernd Leno but the German goalkeeper was equal to the task. However, Leno's save deflected to Gundogan and the forward delivered an audacious overhead kick which crashed in off the underside of the bar. Gundogan's moment of magic sparked a lacklustre Fulham into life with Ederson called into action four minutes later when he palmed away Harry Wilson's curling effort before Ruben Dias blocked Adama Traore's follow-up. Tom Cairney swept a left-footed effort just wide of the post, and Ederson denied Wilson for a second time with a strong right hand. Andreas Pereira could only crash the rebound into the City side-netting, albeit from an acute angle. Encouragement for Fulham, but it was City who led at the interval. Moments after the re-start, Leno kept Fulham's deficit to one when he saved Josko Gvardiol's header from a corner with his face. And then another chance for the hosts, but Pereira fluffed his lines when he had a clear sight of Ederson's goal. 👑 Legend 👑 — Manchester City (@ManCity) May 25, 2025 City were living dangerously and Wilson wanted a penalty when he hit the turf under pressure from Nunes. Referee Andrew Madley waved his appeal away. But Madley did not need a second invitation to award an obvious spot-kick for the visiting side when Sasa Lukic clattered into Gundogan in the area following a neat pirouette by the City forward. Unlike in City's FA Cup final defeat, Haaland stepped up to take the penalty, and he sent Leno the wrong way to double his side's advantage and ensure another campaign of Champions League football. De Bruyne was introduced in the 85th minute to bring the curtain down on his trophy-laden City career, with the side he carried to so much glory, now plotting for life without him.
North Wales Chronicle
25-05-2025
- Sport
- North Wales Chronicle
Manchester City clinch Champions League spot with victory at Fulham
City required just one point at Craven Cottage to guarantee a top-five finish in the Premier League, and Gundogan put them in the driving seat with his sensational opener after 21 minutes. Fulham created a series of good chances, but Haaland made sure of the victory with 18 minutes remaining as City secured a third-placed finish with Fulham dropping one spot to 11th. A special goal from Ilkay Gundogan at Fulham 🚴♂️#FULMCI — Premier League (@premierleague) May 25, 2025 Kevin De Bruyne began his final match in a City shirt from the bench while Jack Grealish was not included in Pep Guardiola's squad at all. Grealish has started just seven league matches this season and his final-day omission here will intensify rumours that he could leave the Etihad this summer. With their Champions League future on the line, Guardiola described Sunday's fixture as the most important of their season, and they dominated the opening exchanges before landing a brilliant breakthrough midway through the first period. Matheus Nunes beat Antonee Robinson in the air, and then received the ball back off Omar Marmoush. Nunes drove into the Fulham penalty area and attempted to dink the onrushing Bernd Leno but the German goalkeeper was equal to the task. However, Leno's save deflected to Gundogan and the forward delivered an audacious overhead kick which crashed in off the underside of the bar. Gundogan's moment of magic sparked a lacklustre Fulham into life with Ederson called into action four minutes later when he palmed away Harry Wilson's curling effort before Ruben Dias blocked Adama Traore's follow-up. Tom Cairney swept a left-footed effort just wide of the post, and Ederson denied Wilson for a second time with a strong right hand. Andreas Pereira could only crash the rebound into the City side-netting, albeit from an acute angle. Encouragement for Fulham, but it was City who led at the interval. Moments after the re-start, Leno kept Fulham's deficit to one when he saved Josko Gvardiol's header from a corner with his face. And then another chance for the hosts, but Pereira fluffed his lines when he had a clear sight of Ederson's goal. 👑 Legend 👑 — Manchester City (@ManCity) May 25, 2025 City were living dangerously and Wilson wanted a penalty when he hit the turf under pressure from Nunes. Referee Andrew Madley waved his appeal away. But Madley did not need a second invitation to award an obvious spot-kick for the visiting side when Sasa Lukic clattered into Gundogan in the area following a neat pirouette by the City forward. Unlike in City's FA Cup final defeat, Haaland stepped up to take the penalty, and he sent Leno the wrong way to double his side's advantage and ensure another campaign of Champions League football. De Bruyne was introduced in the 85th minute to bring the curtain down on his trophy-laden City career, with the side he carried to so much glory, now plotting for life without him.
BBC News
25-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'To win and secure Champions League was very important'
Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has been speaking about securing Champions League qualification on the final day of the season: "Coming to a tough ground against a really good opponent, to play the way we have played, to create our chances, to manage their chances, and then to win and secure Champions League was very important. We are very happy with that."On scoring his first league goal of the season: "It took me some time this season to score, but it was just intuition. Arriving in the box at the back post, I try to be where I think the ball might drop. When I saw the ball going over my head, I had to adapt my run, adjust and then just try to go for it."When I landed and turned around, I didn't even know if the ball was in the net or not but then I saw my team-mates coming towards me."On what it is like to play with Kevin de Bruyne: "Exceptional. I feel very lucky and grateful that I've had the opportunity to share the pitch and the dressing room with him."He is one of the most special players that I have played with and that the Premier League has ever seen. He will be missed and we wish him the best."
Straits Times
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Manchester City book Champions League place with 2-0 win at Fulham
Soccer Football - Premier League - Fulham v Manchester City - Craven Cottage, London, Britain - May 25, 2025 Manchester City's Jeremy Doku in action with Fulham's Andreas Pereira and Fulham's Kenny Tete Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge REUTERS Soccer Football - Premier League - Fulham v Manchester City - Craven Cottage, London, Britain - May 25, 2025 Manchester City's Erling Haaland in action with Fulham's Sasa Lukic and Fulham's Joachim Andersen Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge REUTERS LONDON - Manchester City's disappointing season ended with the consolation of a place in the Champions League after a 2-0 victory at Fulham on Sunday, earned by Ilkay Gundogan's overhead kick and an Erling Haaland penalty. The victory ensured City finish third in the table with 71 points from 38 games, the first time they have ended outside the top two since the 2016-17 season. Fulham finished 11th with 54 points. City opened the scoring on 21 minutes when Matheus Nunes' chipped shot on the angle was clawed away by Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno and into the path of Gundogan, whose acrobatic effort steered the ball into the net off the crossbar. The visitors doubled their advantage when Sasa Lukic fouled Gundogan in the box and Haaland converted the spot kick to score his 22nd league goal of the campaign, while Kevin De Bruyne came off the bench for the final five minutes in his farewell to City. "It's like a title, (due to) the obstacles," Guardiola told BBC. "In the end we finished third, not miles away from Arsenal, but the distance to Liverpool is huge. We have to improve and hopefully we can do it." The visitors left Jack Grealish out of their match-day squad amid talk he could leave the club, Guardiola saying it was a "selection" decision. De Bruyne spent time with the City fans at the final whistle, many of them holding up signs of thanks to the Belgian for his decade at the club. He received warm applause from Fulham fans as well, such has been his impact on the Premier League. City started with confidence knowing victory would guarantee them Champions League football in the new campaign, while Fulham still had faint hopes of a Conference League place. Any City nerves there might have been were settled by Gundogan's well-taken opener, while Fulham winger Adama Traore's poor first touch denied him a one-on-one chance with Ederson when he beat the City offside trap. The Brazilian keeper then made a fine stop to deny Harry Wilson with a low save to his left. Andreas Pereira could only send the rebound into the side netting. Wilson and Raul Jiminez went close several more times as Fulham pushed for an equaliser but when City converted their penalty chance they were able to see out the game. The result meant one of Pep Guardiola's toughest seasons as a manager ended on a positive note. "It's been a tough year but we never gave up. I'm very proud and pleased for the team. Now we will recover and next season will be better," Guardiola said. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
