{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"Matchplug Blog","provider_url":"https:\/\/matchplug.com\/blog","author_name":"Matchplug Blog","author_url":"https:\/\/matchplug.com\/blog","title":"Ilkay Gundogan joins Barcelona - Matchplug Blog","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"ObptcZD7RU\"><a href=\"https:\/\/matchplug.com\/blog\/ilkay-gundogan-joins-barcelona\/\">Ilkay Gundogan joins Barcelona<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/matchplug.com\/blog\/ilkay-gundogan-joins-barcelona\/embed\/#?secret=ObptcZD7RU\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;Ilkay Gundogan joins Barcelona&#8221; &#8212; Matchplug Blog\" data-secret=\"ObptcZD7RU\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\/* <![CDATA[ *\/\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/* ]]> *\/\n<\/script>\n","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/matchplug.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/ilkay-gundogan-man-city06052023_f5u5d389qsa61mjh7cznck8i9.jpg","thumbnail_width":1280,"thumbnail_height":720,"description":"Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has signed for Barcelona after leaving the Etihad on a free transfer. The former Borussia Dortmund midfielder will join the Camp Nou side on a two-year deal &#8211; with the option of a 12-month extension. Man City wanted to keep Gundogan behind this summer. Still, he rejected a contract extension in favour of a move to Spain, ending his seven-year association with City, with whom he won twelve major trophies, including a historic treble last season. The 32-year-old scored 60 goals in 304 games for the Cityzens and was an important figure in the dressing room under Pep Guardiola. Read more: Chelsea to UNVEIL Nicolas Jackson as Villareal forward passes medical ahead of \u20ac35m move&nbsp; Shortly after the move was confirmed, Gundogan penned a farewell letter entitled &#8216;Thank you, City&#8217;, in which he admits that he had &#8216;fulfilled every dream he ever had&#8217; with the club. &#8220;Today is bittersweet,&#8221; he wrote in a blog post on The Players Tribune. &#8220;Goodbyes are never easy, but it&#8217;s even harder with this team. When I had to break the news to the boys that I was leaving in our group chat, I was very emotional. I will miss all of them, honestly. But I am happy to say that I&#8217;m leaving here as a champion, and I have nothing but love for the club in my heart. &#8220;It&#8217;s amazing what we achieved. Five Premier League titles in my seven years here. Two FA Cups. The Champions League. The treble. But those are just trophies. The thing that I will remember the most is the feeling inside the squad, especially this season. I&#8217;ve never experienced something like it in football.&#8221; Gundogan also spoke about his move to Barcelona, admitting that he had always wanted to join the Spanish club. &#8220;If I was going to move, there is only one club in the world that made sense.&nbsp; &#8220;It was Barcelona or nothing. Ever since I was a little kid, I dreamed of wearing that shirt someday.&#8221;"}