Mikel Arteta and Arsenal were pretty keen to add Ilkay Gundogan to their ranks during the 2023 summer transfer window given that he was going to become a free agent.
The 33-year-old had just won the Treble in the colours of Manchester City, including scoring a quite stunning and outrageous volley in the FA Cup final against Manchester United.
Those types of performances landed Ilkay Gundogan a 14th-placed finish for the 2023 Ballon d’Or placings on Monday night.
That meant that the Germany international finished above some stellar names, including Real Madrid’s new hero, Jude Bellingham, as well as Arsenal captain, Martin Odegaard.
That was a partnership Mikel Arteta was pretty keen to put together in the summer because Ilkay Gundogan would have worked wonders in that number eight role at the Emirates, alongside Declan Rice, with Martin Odegaard further forward.
Instead, Arsenal fans have to watch the five-time Premier League winner now work his magic in the colours of Barcelona.
2023 Ballon d’Or
Surprise, surprise. A certain Lionel Messi picked up the main prize after winning the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. It’s a record-breaking eighth crown for the legendary forward.
Now at Inter Miami, the 36-year-old is ending his career in the best way possible.
There was only one main crown for Messi to win and did that in perhaps the greatest game of them all, with Argentina beating France in a pulsating final in Qatar.
And now that has been topped up with the Ballon d’Or. It probably signals the end of Messi playing in Europe again, as he can now hang up his boots and call himself the greatest of all time.
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