Eleven minutes this season, Gündogan on Galatasaray's target list

On Sunday at 7 p.m., Ilkay Gündogan stood on Galatasaray's pitch in the Süper‑Lig match against Kocaelispor in Istanbul. In this still young season he has so far received only eleven minutes of play – a clear sign that he is hardly part of the regular match schedule.

His few appearances include a substitution in the first league game against Corum FK, which ended 2‑2, as well as six minutes in the 1‑3 defeat to Sporting Lisbon. After these outings, there was harsh criticism of his lack of speed, and fans demanded his exit.

Winter plan and firing list

As the government‑critical newspaper Sözcu reports in its article, the officials of Galatasaray, the Turkish champions, are considering removing a trio of professionals around Gündogan from the squad in the winter. The report mentions a possible dropping decision affecting the three professionals.

The trio includes Kaan Ayhan, 31, who has received only one minute of play this season and was not nominated for the Champions League, as well as Wilfried Singo, 25, who has so far been used for 41 minutes, making him the most frequently played.

Future prospects for Gündogan

Journalist Ibrahim Seten, active on the YouTube channel 343 Digital, speculated that after a departure Gündogan could move either to the MLS or to Saudi Arabia. The former star of Manchester City and FC Barcelona has so far received no indication of a falling‑out with coach Okan Buruk.

A look at the previous season's figures shows that Gündogan made 38 appearances for Galatasaray in the 2025/2026 campaign, scoring two goals and providing five assists. In the current season, however, he remains practically uninvolved.

Club representatives cite purely tactical and sporting reasons for Gündogan's lack of playing time, and emphasize that no conflict with coach Okan Buruk is known.