The 33-year-old left the Etihad to join Barcelona in the summer of 2023, just two weeks after guiding City to a memorable Treble.
Indeed, his first spell with City proved to be an astonishing period of success, with the midfielder collecting 14 major trophies in seven seasons.
But after just 12 months in La Liga with Barcelona, he has made a dramatic return to Manchester, subject to international clearance – and he couldn’t be happier to have completed the move.
“I’m incredibly happy,” he said. “Happy to see the team-mates, the staff, people that over seven years I had an amazing time with, a very successful time with. Many ups, a few downs, but in general, an incredible experience.
“When you leave this place like I did last year, you spend a year away, you then start to appreciate the place even more. You realise what you had. You realise how amazing that time was.
“You realise how big the club is - the best club in the world.
“In terms of football, getting back onto that level and coming back now a year later is an incredible feeling, and I am very pleased. I’m very happy. I feel privileged to share the dressing room again with these amazing players.”
Meanwhile, Gundogan has described City manager Pep Guardiola as ‘a genius’.
The Catalan has revolutionised City since taking charge in 2016, winning 18 major trophies and breaking a series of significant, long-standing records in the process.
It’s been a glorious chapter in our history, and Gundogan has had a front row seat for the majority of it.
Having worked at close quarters with Guardiola for seven years before his departure 12 months ago, Gundogan is no doubt the boss is the best there is, with his ability to solve problems posed by rival teams unparalleled.
“Tactically, he’s a genius,” Gundogan said. “He has all sorts of solutions for every probability in the game, for everything that’s happening on the pitch. he can give you a solution you know in just a very short amount of time.
“On top of that, I think in terms of managing also a dressing room, a big dressing room like we have here also is never easy, with so many personalities [and] so many ambitious players that want to start every game.
“To manage that is also very important - to try to keep everyone happy.
“But he’s also demanding if you don’t follow. If you are slightly off the gas in training sessions, you will not play because there are others who can replace you and who have a lot of quality.
“So I think that keeps everyone on their toes and driven and doing their best. And that’s very special about this club in general.”
The final season of Gundogan’s time at City saw him lead the Club to Champions League success in Istanbul – making City only the second English team in history to win the Treble.
That came after City had become the first side in Premier League era to manage 100 points in a single season, and the first team to win all four major English trophies.
And in the year he has spent away at Barcelona, yet more history was made when City became the first English men’s side to win four top-flight titles in succession.
So how do City continue to set such incredibly high standards?
“By consistently trying to put the bar just a little bit higher and to try to be as I said before, every single day, the best possible version of yourself,” Gundogan said.
“That starts on the training pitch, but then goes also what’s happening off the pitch which has obviously a big influence.
“We have the best people working here and that’s why this football club is so successful.”
