Man City great Ilkay Gundogan leaves a hidden legacy in Manchester

Ilkay Gundogan leaves Manchester City with a brilliant number of memorable moments.

From the Aston Villa comeback to that goal against Everton or the record-breaker against United in the cup final, the German international has left a lasting mark on the Premier League champions. Perhaps as importantly, he has also left his mark on the city that has been his home for the last seven years.

These actions were not as publicised because Gundogan doesn't like to talk up his work helping others, but after settling down in the city centre following his move from Dortmund the midfielder set about helping others who were less fortunate. Whether it was volunteering at a soup kitchen, paying the Sky Sports bill for a group of football fans or moving care workers to tears ahead of the Champions League final, Gundogan's legacy in Manchester will stretch well beyond football.

With Turkish parents and growing up in the melting pot of Gelsenkirchen in Germany where a number of cultures and nationalities met, the footballer has always believed in giving back and helping the communities. He has kept close ties with the hometown of his family, Dursunbey in Turkey - it was there where he married his partner Sara Arfaoui in 2022 - and also remembers his roots in Germany; one year, he donated his Premier League bonus to his childhood club Hessler 06 in Gelsenkirchen and laid on food for them to watch the Champions League final together this month.

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Gundogan likes to give back to the places that have helped him and that is why when he decided to make Manchester his home in 2016 he started to help out in the local communities. The 32-year-old has a tradition of giving