New Delhi, Sep 3 : Ilkay Gundogan claimed he respects that Manchester City is undergoing a rebuild and is excited to represent his childhood favourite club Galatasaray.

Gundogan joined Ederson, Kevin De Bruyne, Kyle Walker and Manuel Akanji in the list of veterans that have departed the club this summer.

'Dear Cityzens, I want to be honest with you... the reason why I'm leaving is very simple: I still want to play football as often as possible, because that's what I love the most. I'll turn 35 soon, but I still feel very fit and I truly believe I can continue to perform at a high level for a Champions League team.

"And not just that ' I now have the opportunity to join my childhood favourite club, in a country that means so much to me.

'Man City want a new beginning after an incredible era - something I can fully understand and respect. I will never, ever forget what this great club has done for me over so many years," Gundagon said in social media post.

Gundogan enjoyed two spells with City, making 358 appearances across all competitions and scoring 65 goals.

Ilkay initially joined City from Borussia Dortmund in July 2016 and in his first stint in the sky blue, the German won 14 trophies, including a historic Treble of Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League as captain in his final season.

The German departed City for Barcelona following that memorable night in Istanbul but he rejoined the Blues for the 2024/25 campaign. However, after a solitary season back in the sky blue, he's on the move again this time to link up with the Turkish Super Lig champions.

'Most of my time here was absolutely fantastic and incredibly successful. The club and the city of Manchester will always hold a very special place in my heart.

"I want to thank all my teammates, the chairman, everyone working behind the scenes, every fan ' and of course Pep, who made this amazing time possible," he added.

/IANS