Top five players to play for both Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund

A few footballers over the years have featured for both sides. Dortmund's revival from early 2000s bankruptcy resulted from a more organic strategy that included domestically-produced players and inexpensive additions of younger players with less star power. In contrast, when Sheikh Mansour of the Abu Dhabi ruling family took control of Manchester City, enormous resources were at their disposal. The Cityzens have spent over £1.5 billion on transfers since he arrived.

Let’s take a look at players who have played for both these two teams.

5. Sergio Gomez

Born in 2000, Sergio Gomez joined La Masia Barcelona’s academy at the age of 10. Advancing through the youth setup, he made his debut for the reserves in 2017. Unable to break into the first team, Gómez signed with Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund the following year, making the journey from Catalonia to North Rhine-Westphalia.

Sergio was part of the Spanish team that played in the final of the 2017 FIFA Under-17 World Cup, losing to England. Regardless, he has voted the second-best player of the tournament and also made history by scoring twice in the opening half-hour, becoming the first player to hit a brace in a final.

Later, City snapped up Gomez for £12m. He is an ideal Pep Guardiola player and can play various positions in the attack. He can also play in the defence when called upon.

4. Manuel Akanji

The Swiss international made his debut for Basel in 2015, winning the league the same year. Akanji made 42 apps for FC Basel between 2015 and 2018.

In 2018, Dortmund signed him for a reported 18 million euros. Akanji, a centre-back, is comfortably playing with either foot and can be deployed on the right and left as well. He also possesses impressive speed, a must for centre-backs in modern football. Playing regularly for Dortmund, Akanji managed nearly 120 appearances in four seasons.

In 2022, The 27-year-old completed his £15 million move from Borussia Dortmund to the Etihad Stadium on transfer deadline day.

3. Jadon Sancho

Many prominent European giants like Arsenal and Manchester United wanted to sign Jadon Sancho. Sancho was then a 17-year-old who had walked out on his scholarship deal and turned down a professional contract with Man City. Sancho had played for the Cityzens between 2015 and 2017, scoring 15 times and providing six assists.

Seeking regular game time, Sancho decided to join Dortmund. Sancho was Dortmund's seventh summer signing that season following Ousmane Dembele's record-breaking €105 million transfer to Barcelona. Sancho spent four years at Dortmund, developing himself into one of the most sought-after wingers in world football. During his time in Germany, Sancho appeared 104 times and accumulated 35 goals. He eventually returned to England and signed for the Red Devils.

2. llkay Gundogan

At a tender age of eight, Gundogan was acquired by FC Schalke. Later on, he played for VfL Bochum and then 1. FC Nürnberg till 2009. At 21, Gundogan was signed by Jurgen Klopp’s Dortmund for just €4 million in 2011. Playing five seasons at Dortmund, Gundogan was a central figure in their midfield. During this time, Gundogan won a league title with Dortmund and one DFB-Pokal cup.  

Gundogan grew up idolizing Pep Guardiola. In 2016, Gündoğan signed a four-year contract with Premier League side Manchester City, for a fee of £20 million. llkay Gundogan has so far won the Premier League and League Cup four times.

1. Erling Haaland

Erling Haaland's statistics are incredible. He played for Bryne's academy reserve squad in the 2015–16 season and did well, scoring eighteen times in fourteen games. Later, in 2017, he was transferred to Molde, where he scored 14 goals in 39 games. In 2019, Red Bull Salzburg came calling, signing him for £18m. In 16 games for RB, he managed to score 17 goals.

He was acquired by Borussia Dortmund in 2020 for 20 million euros, where he scored 62 goals in 67 games. Standing at 6 feet 4 inches, his pace, direct running, tremendous physicality, superb left foot, and matured finishing abilities see him average almost a goal per 90.

He has continued to demonstrate his goal-scoring prowess after joining the blue side of Manchester in a deal worth 60 million euros. As of Sept 1st, Erling Haaland has scored nine Premier League goals from just 105 touches so far, scoring every 12 touches. This is the fewest touches per goal by a player in a Premier League season since 2003-04.