Pep Guardiola on why City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan is the perfect signing for Arsenal

British media reports have said Mikel Arteta has made the German midfielder a key transfer target this summer, with his City contract ending.

Barcelona are also believed to be interested, while City still hope to extend his contract, which is unsurprising given the praise for the player from his boss Pep Guardiola.

“Ilkay is such an important player," Guardiola told reporters last month. "Humanity, leading with silence, and yet when he talks, everybody listens.

"He is a football player defined perfectly. An attacking midfielder with a sense of goal and assists. He is so intelligent in the moment and always in the right position. He can also play as a holding midfielder.

"Ilkay is an exceptional player in all senses."

Guardiola continued: "He is so intelligent, Gundo. So clever. So competitive. Under pressure… he handles it without a problem. He’s one of the best players I ever trained in my career. The whole package. He’s top. Top class."

Gundogan is also popular among this team-mates, especially the younger ones.

Rico Lewis recently said: "He is such a calm, cool and collected player that it makes your job easier as well."

Manuel Akanji, who joined City last summer, added: "I think he is the best player I have ever played the possession game with.

"I feel like he has eyes in the back of his head, really. it just looks so effortless. He does a turn and it looks so easy. He could do with it with his eyes closed."