Manchester City's Gundogan working hard for pre-season return

Manchester City's Ilkay Gundogan is working hard to regain his full fitness and feature in the club's pre-season programme, the Germany midfielder has said.

The 26-year-old played 16 matches for City before sustaining a season-ending knee injury in December. He returned to light training last month, ahead of his team mates.

"I still have to do a lot of work until I am back but I am ready and working hard. I am in a good way," he told the club website (www.mancity.com).

"I am just waiting for the team to come back and maybe I am able to join the first bits of every training session - so warm-up stuff, some passing, some tactical stuff.

"Then hopefully over the next weeks I will be able to join them for the rest of the training sessions and, of course, the games."

Gundogan could return to action this month as City travel to the United States for a pre-season tour where they play rivals Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Spanish champions Real Madrid in the International Champions Cup.