Ilkay Gundogan sends throwback message moments before completing Man City transfer

There was a sense of de ja vu with Ilkay Gundogan's message which came minutes before Manchester City confirmed his return.

City have signed Gundogan on a permanent deal after the midfielder agreed a one-year contract with the option of a further 12 months. The move for the 33-year-old comes after Gundogan chose to leave Barcelona, the club he opted to join after leaving the Etihad Stadium in 2023.

Now Gundogan will be reunited with manager Pep Guardiola at City as they could look to win what would be a fifth consecutive Premier League title. Gundogan has won five league titles since he first joined the club from Borussia Dortmund in 2016, and the midfielder enjoyed a throwback moment just before the deal was confirmed on Friday.

Posting on X, formerly known as Twitter, Gundogan wrote a brief message indicating he was about to re-sign for City. "Man City announce Gundogan… again," he wrote.

READ MORE: Man City given injury boost for Ipswich amid Rodri update and Ilkay Gundogan wait

READ MORE: Why Man City signed Ilkay Gundogan as sensational return confirmed

The message was also an exact copy of a tweet that Gundogan wrote back in June 2016 when he first signed for City from Dortmund. Not long after, the midfielder took to social media to write a lengthier message to fans as he expressed his delight about returning to Manchester.

"I am back, and I hope we can continue where we‘ve stopped in Summer 2023," Gundogan said, accompanied by three trophy emojis to reference the treble-winning season in 2022/23.

"Thanks to everyone who made this comeback possible. My seven years in Manchester have been an exceptional period in my life - to have the opportunity to return here means so much. Come on City!"

It remains to be