Ilkay Gundogan on Monday confirmed his exit from Manchester City, saying he will always carry the club in his heart.
It was reported last week that Gundogan, 32, had agreed to join Spanish champions Barcelona on a three-year contract.
It comes just weeks after the Germany midfielder captained Manchester City to the most successful season in the club's history, winning the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League.
“For me it has been a total privilege and pleasure to be part of Manchester City for the last seven years,” Gundogan told the club's website.
“Manchester has been my home and I have felt part of a very special family at City.
“I have been lucky to have experienced so many unforgettable moments in my time here and to have been captain for this extra special season has been the greatest experience of my career."
City boss Pep Guardiola was a huge fan of Gundogan and was keen to keep the former Borussia Dortmund midfielder who played a key role in City's thrilling end to 2022/23, scoring six goals goals in his final seven appearances including a brace in the FA Cup final win over Manchester United.
But the club were reported to only be willing to offer Gundogan a new one-year contract with the option of a further 12 months to remain at the Etihad Stadium.
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Manchester City's Ilkay Gundogan lifts the trophy as he celebrates with teammates after winning the Champions League. Reuters -
Manchester City's Norwegian striker #9 Erling Haaland poses with the European Cup trophy as they celebrate winning the UEFA Champions League final. AFP -
Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola poses for a picture with the European Cup trophy after winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP -
Manchester City's German midfielder #8 Ilkay Gundogan celebrates with the fans after winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP -
A supporter of Inter Milan reacts after InterMilan's defeat against Manchester City at the Piazza Castello (Castello's square) fanzone in Milan after the UEFA Champions League final. AFP -
Manchester City's Norwegian striker #9 Erling Haaland, wrapped in the Norwegian flag, celebrates with the fans after winning the UEFA Champions League. AFP -
Manchester City's English midfielder #10 Jack Grealish celebrates with his girlfriend and relatives after winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City. AFP -
Manchester City's German midfielder #8 Ilkay Gundogan poses with the European Cup trophy as they celebrate winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP -
Manchester City's players pose with the European Cup trophy as they celebrate winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP -
Manchester City's Norwegian striker #9 Erling Haaland wavers t the fans as he celebrates winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City. AFP -
Manchester City's German midfielder #8 Ilkay Gundogan kisses the European Cup trophy as they celebrate winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP -
Manchester City's German midfielder #8 Ilkay Gundogan holds aloft the European Cup trophy as they celebrate winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP -
Manchester City's Spanish midfielder #16 Rodri bites the European Cup trophy as they celebrate winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP -
Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola celebrates with the winners' medal after winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP -
Manchester City's German midfielder #8 Ilkay Gundogan (C) lifts the European Cup trophy as they celebrate on the podium after winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP -
Manchester City's Brazilian goalkeeper #31 Ederson kisses the European Cup trophy after winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City. AFP -
UEFA President President Aleksander Ceferin (R) presents the European Cup trophy to Manchester City's German midfielder #8 Ilkay Gundogan after their win in the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP -
Manchester City's German midfielder #8 Ilkay Gundogan holds aloft the European Cup trophy as they celebrate winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP -
Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola (L) celebrates with Manchester City's Emirati chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak after the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP -
Manchester City's Portuguese defender #3 Ruben Dias (C) lifts the European Cup trophy as they celebrate on the podium after winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP -
TOPSHOT - Manchester City's English midfielder #4 Kalvin Phillips celebrates at the final whistle after they won the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, on June 10, 2023. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP) -
Inter Milan's Argentinian forward #10 Lautaro Martinez reacts to their defeat in the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP -
TOPSHOT - Manchester City's English midfielder #47 Phil Foden (L) and Manchester City's English defender #2 Kyle Walker celebrates winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, on June 10, 2023. Manchester City won the match 1-0. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP) -
Manchester City players celebrate winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP -
Manchester City's English defender #2 Kyle Walker celebrates winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP -
Ferran Soriano, Manager of Manchester City, Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City, and Khaldoon Al Mubarak, Chairman of Manchester City, celebrates with the UEFA Champions League trophy. Getty Images -
Manchester City's English defender #5 John Stones celebrates winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP -
Erling Haaland of Manchester City celebrates with the UEFA Champions League trophy after the team's victory during the UEFA Champions League 2022/23 final match between FC Internazionale and Manchester City FC at Atatuerk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey. Getty Images -
Sergio Gomez of Manchester City celebrates with the UEFA Champions League trophy after the team's victory in the UEFA Champions League 2022/23 final match between FC Internazionale and Manchester City FC at Atatuerk Olympic Stadium. Getty Images -
Manchester City player Kevin de Bruyne, his wife Michele de Bruyne and two of their children pose with the trophy after the team won the UEFA Champions League Final soccer match between Manchester City and Inter Milan. EPA -
Ilkay Guendogan of Manchester City lifts the UEFA Champions League trophy after the team's victory during the UEFA Champions League 2022/23 final match between FC Internazionale and Manchester City FC at Atatuerk Olympic Stadium. Getty Images -
Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola kisses the trophy after winning the Champions League final soccer match between Manchester City and Inter Milan. AP -
Aymeric Laporte of Manchester City celebrates with the UEFA Champions League trophy. Getty Images -
Manchester City's English defender #2 Kyle Walker slides as he celebrates winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP -
Manchester City's Emirati chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak poses with the European Cup trophy as they celebrate winning the UEFA Champions League final. AFP -
Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne is greeted by fans as he leaves the pitch after the Champions League final soccer match where Manchester City beat Inter Milan 1-0 at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey. AP -
Manchester City players and staff celebrate with the Champions League trophy after their win over Inter Milan in the final on Saturday. Getty -
Rodri of Manchester City celebrates after scoring what turned out to be the match-winning goal in the Champions League final against Inter Milan at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul on Saturday, June 10, 2023. Getty -
Inter Milan players look dejected after defeat in the Champions League final. Getty -
Manchester City's Rodri scores the opening goal past Inter Milan's Andre Onana in Istanbul. Reuters -
Rodri after scoring the opening goal for Manchester City. Getty -
Manchester City's Erling Haaland speaks to manager Pep Guardiola in Istanbul. Getty -
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland watches as Inter Milan's Francesco Acerbi heads the ball clear. AFP -
Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne receives treatment during the match. AFP -
Kevin De Bruyne leaves the pitch after being substituted due to injury. AFP -
Kevin De Bruyne is consoled by Erling Haaland. Getty -
Jack Grealish of Manchester City and Denzel Dumfries of Inter fight for the ball. EPA -
Inter Milan's Federico Dimarco vies for the ball with Manchester City's Rodri. AP
Gundogan, who joined City from Borussia Dortmund in 2016 for a fee of around £20 million, won five Premier League titles, two FA Cups, and four League Cups during his time at the club.
His final act in a City shirt was to lift the European Cup on June 10 as City beat Italy's Inter Milan 1-0 in the Champions League final in Istanbul. In total he made 304 appearances for City, scoring 60 goals.
“First, I would like to thank Pep. To have been able to play under and learn from him for so long has been something I will never forget," Gundogan added.
“I would also like to thank all my teammates – past and present – who have all played such a special part in making my time here so amazing.
“Finally, I would like to thank the incredible City fans. They have supported me from the moment I arrived, and I owe them all so much for their support.
“This club made me realise all my dreams and I will forever be thankful for this opportunity.
“I will carry City always in my heart. Once a blue, always a blue.”
Man City 2022/23 ratings
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MANCHESTER CITY 2022-23 SEASON RATINGS: Ederson -7. No Golden Glove this year but remains vital to the way City build from the back. Getty -
Stefan Ortega - 7. Enjoyed great success in FA Cup conceding just a single goal in six matches. EPA -
Kyle Walker -7. Ended the season at the top of his form after a dip earlier in the campaign. Reuters -
Rico Lewis - 6. Teenager can be proud of first season at top level. Made 14 appearances and a big impression. PA -
John Stones - 9. Season of his life playing as a central defender, right back and midfielder. Class. Hard to fault. AFP -
Ruben Dias - 8. Missed a chunk of the season but was back to commanding best on the run in. Getty -
Aymeric Laporte - 5. Couldn’t force his way into the starting eleven often enough but dependable. Getty -
Manuel Akanji - 7.5. Turned out to be a bargain buy. His experience and class shone through in tough moments. Getty -
Nathan Ake - 8. Most improved player this season. Key to build up play down the left and reliable in the middle. Getty -
Joao Cancelo - 4. Never reached his brilliant best and left for Bayern Munich on loan mid-season. Future up in air. Getty -
Sergio Gomez - 5. Some glimpses of class going forward but like others before him found it hard in first season under Pep. Getty -
Rodri - 9. Probably the best holding midfielder in the world at present. Took his game to new heights. Getty -
Kalvin Phillips - 5. Did little wrong but struggled to make an impact with Rodri in such commanding form ahead of him. Getty -
Bernardo Silva - 7. If this was his last season at City, he went out in style. The chief architect of Real Madrid’s UCL exit. Getty -
Ilkay Gundogan - 9. The bigger the occasion the better he played. Captain was pivotal to all the big moments in the campaign. AFP -
Kevin De Bruyne - 8. Maintained his ridiculously high standards as one of the top playmakers the game has ever seen. EPA -
Phil Foden - 6.5. Stop-start season thanks to injuries but his class shone through when he got a run. Getty -
Riyad Mahrez - 6. His close control remains mesmerising and his goals played a vital part. EPA -
Jack Grealish - 8. Vying with Ake for the biggest leap of improvement. Fully earned Pep’s trust. PA -
Cole Palmer - 5. Just didn’t happen for the homegrown youngster who still has bags of potential and time on his side. Reuters -
Julian Alvarez - 7. Overshadowed at City by Haaland’s exploits but a fine season for the World Cup winner. Getty -
Erling Haaland - 9.5. Would have been 10 but Pep tends to improve players in their second season! Simply a goal-machine. PA -
Pep Guardiola - 9. Re-invented his tactics masterfully and turned the team into a winning machine with an incredible mentality. Getty
Reflecting on Gundogan’s contribution to City, director of football Txiki Begiristain said: “Ilkay has been a wonderful servant for Manchester City, and he leaves our club on a very special high having captained us to a historic treble.
“He has played a huge part in the successes we have enjoyed in recent seasons and Ilkay’s intelligence, leadership and commitment to the club – both on and off the field – has been an inspiration to everyone.
“Ilkay has truly cemented his place in the history of Manchester City and we all wish him well in the next chapter of his career.
“And he leaves us knowing that he will always be welcomed at this football club.”
Barcelona won La Liga at a canter in 2022/23, finishing 10 points ahead of bitter rivals Real Madrid.
But Xavi's side disappointed in Europe, exiting the Champions League at the group stage for a second successive season and bowing out of the Europa League to Manchester United in a play-off.
