Pep Guardiola has confirmed a clause to extend the contract of Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has been triggered. City brought Gundogan back from Barcelona last summer on a one-year deal which included the option for a further 12 months based on the veteran midfielder's level of involvement this season.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has revealed that Ilkay Gundogan has triggered a contract extension, although doubts remain over his future.

Yet beneath the calm delivery lies a subtle twist in City’s evolving midfield narrative. Gundogan, the man who once lifted a treble with understated grace, has again become part of Guardiola’s toolkit—not a star signing, but a necessity reborn.