Pep Guardiola’s Jurgen Klopp pupil drops future hints with extra Man City training task

After training at Manchester City last week, as the Ederson/Scott Carson WhatsApp group descended into another round of hysterics and Phil Foden continued his campaign to make his own hair dissolve, Ilkay Gundogan was swatting up.

"That was fun! I got the chance to manage a training session of the Man City Under-16s as a part of my coaching license course," Gundogan tweeted, alongside a picture of him dishing out some sage advice to the youngsters.

"An interesting experience to teach these young talents on their road to professional football."

Those teenagers Gundogan put through their paces are not the only ones on a journey and news that the Germany playmaker is putting plans in place to launch a coaching career should delight City fans and the wider football community.

Here are four reasons why we think 'Mr Whippy' is destined for the top when he hangs up his boots.

Working with the best

Gundogan finds himself in a unique position among contemporary footballers as a man who has excelled under the contrasting demands of the two outstanding coaches of his generation.

Before being the adaptable, essential midfield component in Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City machine, Ilkay was a standout performer in Jurgen Klopp’s gegenpressing kings at Borussia Dortmund.

Gundogan’s capacity to thrive within each playing style owes much to immaculate technical qualities and an ability to read the game. But there is another reason he is a different player from the more high-octane midfielder of his earlier career.

Overcoming adversity

Gundogan was just finding his feet at City during Guardiola’s maiden season in Manchester, having scored twice in a 3-1 win over Barcelona in the Champions League.

But he was stopped in his tracks