If all the power was in Gundogan's hands in February, when Guardiola made that comment, then City will have had even less chance to persuade their influential captain to stay after his end to the season 12 months on.
Gundogan got City over the line with back-to-back braces to secure the Premier League title this season, scoring another two goals in the biggest FA Cup final in memory (against rivals United no less) and then led his side to the Champions League title in Istanbul for the first time.
Those goals against Aston Villa were enough to write Gundogan's name in the City history books, anyway, but his role in their first-ever Treble has underlined it and will earn him his own chapter.
Guardiola and City initially took the stance that Gundogan would choose to stay or not, but as the midfielder's performances grew and the important goals kept coming, those noises from the club turned into admissions that they wanted him to stay.
Denne historien er fra June 23, 2023-utgaven av Manchester Evening News.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra June 23, 2023-utgaven av Manchester Evening News.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
JOS LEARNS TO LIGHTEN LOAD
JOS Buttler admitted lightening his workload by giving up the wicketkeeping role has helped him to appreciate England's T20 series victory over the West Indies even more.
ON CLAUD NINE City's teen star on his humble journey to global headlines
CLAUDIO Echeverri is used to life in the limelight.
Starmer in call for 'respectful' ties with China
SIR Keir Starmer has said he told Xi Jinping he wanted \"respectful\" relations with Beijing as he became the first prime minister to meet the Chinese president since 2018.
Farmers to protest over inheritance tax
LARGE demonstrations by farmers were expected in London today as they fight to reverse \"absolutely unacceptable\" changes to inheritance tax.
Man jailed for arson threat on mosques
A FATHER-OF-FOUR who made a TikTok video threatening to burn down every mosque in Newcastle has been jailed for 20 months.
STABBING VICTIM IS FOUND 'COVERED IN BLOOD'
A MAN was seen 'bleeding on the floor' after he was stabbed in a horror attack on a street.
Mexican drinks and pool right on cue at new bar
A RESTAURANT recently nominated as one of the city's best has unveiled a first look at its new sister bar set to open next month - which will focus on tequila and pool.
Can Eibn project solve homes crisis?
PLANS TO BUILD 3,300 'HIGH QUALITY' HOMES AND A 'VIBRANT NEW NEIGHBOURHOOD' HAS BEEN GREETED WITH CYNICISM
Crumbling hospital unit gets mayor redevelopment
A HOSPITAL building where crumbling concrete was discovered is set to undergo a major redevelopment.
More comedy dates from special Kay
COMEDY fans are in for a treat after Peter Kay announced a new run of tour dates in a surprise announcement on Sunday night.
