Ilkay Gundogan: It just felt 'right' to sign for Barcelona

Ilkay Gundogan has revealed that Xavi played a significant role in his decision to leave Manchester City and join Barcelona.

After securing the Champions League trophy and completing a remarkable treble with City, the 32-year-old bid farewell to a successful career at the Etihad Stadium.

While City had hoped to persuade Gundogan to sign a new contract, offering a one-year deal with the option for an additional 12 months, he ultimately chose to embrace the challenge of joining Barcelona.

The Catalan club reclaimed the La Liga title from Real Madrid in the previous season.

Gundogan was officially presented as a Barcelona player on Monday afternoon and shared how a conversation with Xavi influenced his choice to make the move at this stage of his career.

"The first moment we talked to each other, I just felt it was right to come here, join the club and have the opportunity to prove myself at a different club and a different country," Gundogan said.

"I was close to coming here two times earlier but it was not meant to be. Now it is the time.

"Xavi made his ideas of how the team wants to play very clear. It's very similar to how we played in Man City. It's a similar school, Guardiola, Xavi... In the way he approached the talks, the honesty from him I saw sort of my own character reflected in him.

"It was probably not much of what he said but especially how he said it, which sometimes is more important."