Field Insider

İlkay Gündoğan

Experienced headGalatasaray · 35 yrs

Profile

Full nameİlkay Gündoğan
PositionDefensive midfielder
NationalityGermany
Age35
Date of birth24 Oct 1990
BirthplaceGelsenkirchen
Height180 cm
Shirt number#20
ClubGalatasaray
Defensive midfielder
24
Appearances
2
Goals
3
Assists
1399
Minutes

Domestic-league season · Galatasaray.

Injury-affected season

Missed 3 of Galatasaray's ~34 games this season through 3 injury absences (calf). He still appeared 24 times — a solid return given how little of the season he was available. His rating is judged mainly on the games he was fit to play.

Performance data · by competition

CompetitionAppsGAMinMatch
Süper Lig242313996.96
UEFA Champions League8004216.59
FIFA Club World Cupat Manchester City301986.9
Türkiye Kupası400457.5
Super Cup2000

Scout report

Experienced headDefensive midfielder

İ. Gündoğan is a 35-year-old defensive midfielder at Galatasaray, enjoying a standout season — 2 goals and 3 assists in 24 appearances, a Season grade of 27, top 45% of Süper Lig defensive midfielders. On long-term scout potential he's rated 14.9, ranking 313th of 326 in the Süper Lig. A seasoned veteran, he has been a rotation option (50.1% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 2.57 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Gündoğan.

Judged on this season alone, Gündoğan graded 27 — a workmanlike campaign that ranks 19th of 42 of the 42 defensive midfielders in the Süper Lig, on 2 goals, 3 assists and 2.573 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's a drop on last season (Season 35 → 27). Over the 6 seasons on record his form has drifted down, peaking in 2020/21.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 15, 42nd of 42 of the 42 defensive midfielders in the Süper Lig. At 35 Gündoğan is into the veteran stage, where the age curve weighs on the projection, and a market index of 1.7 reflects that trajectory.

Read the appearance count in context: Gündoğan missed 3 games through injury (calf) out of roughly 34 this season. The 24 he did play is a solid return on the time he was fit, and his ratings are weighted toward those games rather than the ones he sat out injured.

From the career report
Read the full career report →

Past his 2020/21 peak — the recent trend is downward, so buyers are paying for what's left, not what was.

Peak: 2020/21Trending down
Current potential42nd of 42 defensive midfielders · Süper LigCurrent season19th of 42 defensive midfielders · Süper Lig19th-best defensive midfielder in the Süper Lig313th in the Süper Lig · potential42nd-highest potential defensive midfielder in the Süper Lig
14.9
Ratingi
42nd of 42 defensive midfielders
27.3
Seasoni
below regular-starter level
50.1%
Minutes
rotation minutes
2.57
Def. actions / 90
moderate defensive volume

Output in context · Galatasaray finished 1st of 18 · a title-challenging side

2.57
Def. / 90
23
Tackles
12
Interceptions
5
Clean sheets

2.57 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — moderate defensive volume, with 5 clean sheets across 24 appearances. Behind a title-challenging side (1st of 18) the side controls more games, so the defensive load is lighter — the value sits as much in composure and ball progression as in raw volume. Going forward he chipped in 2 goals and 3 assists — a useful bonus from the back.

Strengths

  • Attacking threat. Chips in from deep: 0.32 goal involvements per 90, useful for a defensive midfielder.

Watch points

  • Game time. Only 50.1% of available minutes — needs a settled run to prove the level.
  • Age curve. At 35, both level and resale value are on the downslope.
  • Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

With a Rating of 14.9, Gündoğan carries the 42nd-highest potential of the defensive midfielders in the Süper Lig of 42. Defensively he reads as moderate defensive volume (2.57 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90), with a bit more on the ball than most in the role. Veteran phase — a short-term, lower-fee proposition as both level and value decline (0.6× and falling).

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among defensive midfielders in the Süper Lig with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals2
Shots on target2
Shots8

Passing

Assists3
Pass accuracy92%

Possession

Successful dribbles6
Dribble success54.5%
Fouls won14

Defending

Tackles23
Interceptions12
Blocks5
Fouls committed16

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards1
Red cards0

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.