Guardiola confirmed on Sunday that Ilkay Gundogan's contract has been automatically extended by one year. He will continue to play for Manchester City until June 30, 2026.

Gundogan's contract with Manchester City was due to expire this summer, but it contained an option to extend for one year. As he made his 43rd appearance of the season against Crystal Palace, the clause automatically came into effect.

Guardiola also said after the game: "His contract has indeed been extended for one year. As for what will happen this summer, I don't know. However, he still has one year on his contract."

Afterwards, Guardiola spoke highly of Gundogan's recent performance: "Gundogan today was exactly the same as he was against Leicester City and Bournemouth - this is the Gundogan I remember. He also played a key role in our winning the treble and quadruple."

"His activity, speed and defensive awareness are back to their peak. Gundogan has always been a very important member of our team. But in the previous period, our entire team was unable to provide him with enough support. This is not a problem that can be solved by one individual alone. Everyone was in a low state at the time and the overall performance was not good."

Guardiola concluded: "When the team performs well, the individual players will also improve. Without the support of the team, individuals alone cannot succeed in modern football."

The 34-year-old Gundogan mainly plays as a central midfielder, but can also play as a defensive midfielder and attacking midfielder. He joined Manchester City from Dortmund for 26 million euros in 2016. In the following seven years, he played 304 times for Manchester City, scored 60 goals and provided 38 assists, helping the team win 1 Champions League, 5 Premier League titles, 2 FA Cup titles, 4 League Cup titles and 2 Community Shield titles.

In August 2023, Gundogan joined Barcelona as a free agent. However, he returned to Manchester City after only one year at Barcelona. So far, he has played 43 games, scored 2 goals and provided 4 assists.