Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has said that he expects Ilkay Gundogan to become a top manager in the future.
The Catalan boss was in conversation with Bleacher Report when posed the question about which current City player would take management by storm.
According to Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, the answer is Ilkay Gundogan, who has been one of his side’s ‘most important players’ since his arrival in 2016, according to Rio Ferdinand.
Pep Guardiola expects Ilkay Gundogan to become a top manager
The German international was famously filmed coaching the Sky Blues’ U-16 side on the club’s official YouTube channel, as he aims to become a manager after his career comes to an end.
The Athletic had reported in April that the 32-year-old had already completed his UEFA B license and was set to begin working on his UEFA A license in 2024.
Clearly, Pep Guardiola does not simply have a hunch about Ilkay Gundogan, who is clearly putting in the work to become a manager down the line.
“I think Gundogan will be a good manager. I would say for his humanity and for his personality to transmit the message, and his awareness and his knowledge about the game itself.”
“He has been surrounded and been training with many, many managers and good ones too, so I think Gundo will be a good manager.”
llkay Gundogan could be Xabi Alonso 2.0
Pep Guardiola is right in saying that if Ilkay Gundogan does become a manager, he could thrive as he has worked under him as well as other elite coach such as Jurgen Klopp, Joachim Lowe and Hansi Flick.
Much like Xabi Alonso, who has been a resounding success as Bayer Leverkusen boss was also coached by Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti to name a few.
Working closely with managers of such incredible standards, coupled with Gundogan’s incredible football brain, the results are likely to be special.
One will wait and watch whether the four-time Premier League winner can replicate his success from the pitch onto overseeing things from the sidelines.
