The summer of 2016 is expected to be a busy one at the Etihad Stadium, as Pep Guardiola begins a full squad overhaul ahead of the 2016-17 Premier League season, so expect to read plenty of rumors and confirmations of Manchester City signings here at PST in the coming months.
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With that said, reports out of the UK have Guardiola on the verge of completing his very first signing: Borussia Dortmund star midfielder Ilkay Gundogan. Man City will reportedly pay Dortmund a fee in the neighborhood of $30 million for the 25-year-old German international.
While a semi-regular with the German national team (16 caps since making his debut in 2011 - three goals scored), Gundogan won’t be with the reigning World Cup winners at this month’s EURO 2016 tournament in France after undergoing surgery to repair a dislocated kneecap in early May. Gundogan also missed the 2014 World Cup in Brazil after missing nearly all of the 2013-14 season due to a back injury.
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Since signing for Dortmund in the summer of 2011 ($4.5 million fee), Gundogan has made more than 150 appearances for the club (all competitions), scoring 23 times in the process. A Bundesliga champion under now-Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp during the 2011-12 season, he also played a key role in Dortmund’s 2013 UEFA Champions League final appearance (lost to Bayern Munich).
Gundogan’s current contract with Dortmund has just one year remaining, meaning City have likely landed a real bargain given his quality and the kind of fee that would accompany a player of his caliber with more time — and money — left on his contract.