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“There were talks”: In-form midfield star reveals Man United tried to sign him before Man City

Manchester City's German midfielder Ilkay Gundogan celebrates scoring his team's third goal during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on February 13, 2021. (Photo by Rui Vieira / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by RUI VIEIRA/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Ilkay Gundogan reveals Manchester United tried to sign him before City

According to Sky Sports (h/t Daily Mail), Ilkay Gundogan has revealed that Manchester United tried to sign him before he joined Man City. United were said to have held talks with Borussia Dortmund over a transfer a few years before Gundogan joined their neighbours.

While United were scouting Shinji Kagawa prior to his signing in 2012, they also kept eyes on Gundogan. There was a possibility that United could have signed the German midfielder but any talk of that quickly halted.

Dortmund’s midfielder Ilkay Guendogan poses during the team presentation of German first division Bundesliga football club Borussia Dortmund at the Dortmund Brackel training grounds on July 15, 2015 in Dortmund, western Germany. (Photo by PATRIK STOLLARZ/AFP via Getty Images)

Gundogan spoke about it in a conversation with Sky Sports. (h/t Daily Mail)

“There were talks. I think it was two or three years before I joined City when I was playing for Borussia Dortmund. It never really went into advanced talks because Borussia Dortmund made it quite clear that they were not willing to sell me and I also had a few years left on my contract, so there wasn’t really a point to talk to anyone at that point. So yeah, it didn’t happen.”

Finally, in 2016, Gundogan made the jump to Manchester but not in the red half. After a slow start to his career, he is now flourishing under Guardiola this season. He won a lot of trophies at the club including two Premier League titles.

Hoffenheim’s Brazilian midfielder Roberto Firmino (R) and Dortmund’s midfielder Ilkay Guendogan vie for the ball during the German Football Cup DFB Pokal quarter-final match between Borussia Dortmund and 1899 Hoffenheim in Dortmund, western Germany, on April 7, 2015. (Photo by PATRIK STOLLARZ/AFP via Getty Images)

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It surely is interesting to think about how it would have turned out if Gundogan was allowed to join United instead of City. Both sides take on each other in the Manchester derby next weekend in a potential top of the table clash.

Ilkay Gundogan

Written by George Baker

Full-time football fan, half-time football writer. Way too big of a Manchester United fan. GGMU.

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