90min

İlkay Gündoğan Lavishes Praise on Leicester City's Çağlar Söyüncü

By Grey Whitebloom

Çaglar Söyüncü has played a starring role for Leicester.
Çaglar Söyüncü has played a starring role for Leicester. / Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images
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Manchester City midfielder İlkay Gündoğan has revealed he rates Leicester City's Çağlar Söyüncü as one of the Premier League's best defenders.

Gündoğan was Pep Guardiola's first signing as Manchester City manager in the summer of 2016 and after an injury-ridden debut campaign, the 29-year-old has played an important role from midfield during the team's last two Premier League triumphs.

No player has made more appearances for Manchester City this season than Gündoğan
No player has made more appearances for Manchester City this season than Gündoğan / David Ramos/Getty Images

The Germany international - born to Turkish parents - was quizzed about the Premier League's contingent from Turkey which, inevitably, led to Leicester City's highly rated centre-back Söyüncü, a player linked to a host of top European clubs, including Manchester City.

When asked about Söyüncü, Gündoğan didn't hold back in his praise for the 24-year-old, even likening him to the imposing figure of Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk.

Gündoğan told Turkish publication Fanatik: "I agree with the general opinion of the football public. Çağlar Söyüncü had the best performance in the Premier League after Van Dijk this season.

"I didn't know him before. We met when we met in matches. In addition to the Premier League games two seasons ago, we also matched with Leicester City in a cup. We became competitors in many matches. We always saw and talked to each other. We started getting to know [each other]. He's a very good boy. I love him."

Unsurprisingly, when asked which Turkish player he would most want to see at Manchester City, Gündoğan turned to the Leicester man. Although, City's number eight did laud the talent of Söyüncü's less high profile compatriot.

Söyüncü has won many admirers since filling the void left by Harry Maguire at Leicester this season
Söyüncü has won many admirers since filling the void left by Harry Maguire at Leicester this season / James Williamson - AMA/Getty Images

Gündoğan explained: "I can also count Cenk Tosun. He may be at this level in the coming periods. I think he also played well, suffering an unlucky injury. He also scored a goal in the match we played with Crystal Palace at our home."

Tosun suffered a serious knee injury in a Crystal Palace training session in March, cutting short his mid-season loan from Everton. In very limited minutes the 29-year-old managed two goals - one for each club - including the opener against Gündoğan's Manchester City.

Gündoğan certainly has more company in his lofty evaluation of Söyüncü's talent compared to Tosun, with Leicester among those in agreement as the club recently re-open contract talks with the centre-back.