Gundo is another option to take holding role - Pep | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola says Ilkay Gundogan is not the only player that can play the holding midfield role in the absence of Rodrigo.

The German completed his return to the Etihad Stadium on Friday with the 33-year-old ready to restart where he left off after seven years at City by joining the chase for silverware.

Gundogan has the huge advantage of already knowing what the City boss wants in the centre of the pitch and is ready to get back into the action.

With Rodri missing our Premier League opener against Chelsea, Mateo Kovacic took on the position and capped an outstanding performance with the second goal in a 2-0 victory.

Guardiola says Gundogan is an option in the role but says there are many players in the squad that can take on the position ahead of our first home game of the season against Ipswich Town on Saturday at 15:00 (UK).

WATCH: 240823_Press Conference_Ipswich_h_Part Two

“What I said is he can play the positions like Rodri, Kova, Nico [O’Reilly] and when Matheus [Nunes] is alongside someone else,” the boss said in his prematch news conference.

“John [Stones] and Manu [Akanji] can play alongside another one in the position of Rodri.

“Gundo can play in attacking midfield. He’s a guy close to the box that is good and he can play with a false nine.

“He’s a player who can play different roles because he defines a football player.

“Not I play as a right back, not I play as a central defender. No, no a football player. It means understanding, depends on the position you play, understanding what you have to do and Gundo has these qualities.”

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Gundogan enjoyed huge success during his first spell, winning 14 trophies including the Treble in the 2022/23 campaign.

But while Guardiola is delighted to have him back, he says our new number 19 knows he will have to earn his place in the side just like everyone else in the squad.

“[It’s about] how he trains and how he plays,” he added. “Not because he's Gundogan is he going to play tomorrow and the next games.

“Let me see, if he doesn’t perform well, we will player another one. So we have Phil [Foden] there, Kevin [De Bruyne] there, Bernardo [Silva] there, Rodri there, have Kova there, have Matheus and Macca (James McAtee).

“They have to perform. Not because we know his potential. Everybody knows it, knows him seven years here all the fans, himself and his mates know how good he is.

“But he has to deliver every time and every single day that's why the club sustains being on top.”

Gundogan arrives with just over a week of the transfer window remaining but Guardiola says it doesn’t mean he will look to move any midfielders out.

“Everyone stays here,” he said. “We don’t have a deep squad. We have 19/20/21 players so not much.

“Young players like Nico and all the situation with Oscar [Bobb] until January he won’t be with us. Nothing changes, a lot of games.

“They will have to fight. It all depends on how he plays. If he plays good, his impact will be good. If he plays not good, the impact will not be good.

“We know him a little bit. As a manager I'm not a big fan to re-sign players of his age. I’m not a big fan. But I know him quite well Ilkay and his mentality and position. He's a huge competitor.

“With the financial situation for the transfer, he left free, he came back free so that’s normal. So we talk about that and said okay we can do it if we can.”