The midfielder spent seven hugely successful seasons at the Etihad Stadium and has rejoined from Barcelona on a one-year deal subject to international clearance.
In his first interview on returning to the Club, he spoke about his delight of being back at what he called the ‘best club in the world’.
But Gundogan was quick to point out that he still has the desire to succeed add to his haul of 14 major trophies, including five Premier League titles and lifting the Champions League trophy on his last appearance.
“Well, obviously the seven years I had here in my first spell, they played a big role [in my decision to return],” he said. “Getting to know this amazing club, getting to know the people working here, behind everything. Of course, also, the friendships that you made and the memories that you had.
“But by saying that, I don’t want it to sound too nostalgic to be honest, because it’s still about competing. It’s still about having that drive. It’s still about trying to be the best version of yourself and that’s all an ambition that I still have, incredibly in myself, even though I’m now 33 years old.
“But I still want to prove myself every day in training sessions and games and still become the best possible version of myself. I still have an incredible sense for winning, for competing and I think the package that you get here, right now today, you can’t find it anywhere else, and that made it for me very, very easy to come back.”
During his year at Camp Nou, Gundogan kept across City’s progress as we became the first English Club to win four Premier League titles in a row.
And he said that in the games he saw, Pep Guardiola’s side were continuing to set the standard.
“I tried to follow all the games that I was able to watch and the standards that are set, they are obvious,” our new number 19 added.
“The football that Man City were playing last year and the years before it’s always on the highest level and that’s not just my opinion; I think that’s also an opinion of a lot of people in the football industry in general.
“This is the target for the teams to get there where Man City is in terms of football. And being able now to be back and to play on that highest level and to compete again is a privilege and hopefully, I can contribute this season to be more successful than last season. That’s always the target.”
Gundogan was with the Barcelona squad that faced City in Orlando on our preseason tour to the United States.
He was heavily involved for the Spanish side last season and says he feels ready to go when Guardiola calls on him.
“I’m feeling good right now,” he said.
“I played a lot of games last season. I think in terms of minutes you can’t really play much more so I think that also proves somehow that I am even though I’m already on an age maybe where you get a lot of breaks but I still feel very competitive, and I still feel ready to go.
“And I love the Premier League. It’s the best league in the world and being able to compete in that league again is just a joy.”
