Ilkay Gundogan has rejoined Manchester City’s leadership group, expanding the number of team captains to six for this season. After captaining City to a historic Treble in his final year before moving to Barcelona in 2023, Gundogan is back in Manchester and has immediately been voted as one of the team’s captains for the new campaign.
City’s leadership hierarchy is determined by a player vote held after the summer transfer window, and despite Gundogan’s return, no one who stepped up in his absence has been displaced. Kyle Walker remains the main captain, with Kevin De Bruyne as vice-captain, alongside Rodri, Ruben Dias, and Bernardo Silva, who continue to take on extra responsibilities within the squad.
Unfortunately, City will be without Rodri for the remainder of the season after he suffered a serious injury against Arsenal, which required surgery. While the team faces this major setback, Guardiola is focused on assessing how his squad adapts before making any moves in the January transfer window. Although there’s no immediate plan to replace Rodri, Guardiola admitted that discussions with sporting director Txiki Begiristain will take place if a potential transfer opportunity arises.
“I’m not actively looking for anyone right now, but Txiki and the scouting department are always keeping tabs on things,” Guardiola explained. “We have time before January, and if I feel we need someone and the opportunity is there, we’ll make a decision then.”
For now, Guardiola wants to see how his current squad reacts to Rodri’s absence. “We have solutions within the team, players who can step into that role,” he added. “We’ve only played five games, with 33 more to go – 99 points are still up for grabs. A lot can happen between now and the end of the season.”
