The Spain international and Bayern Munich star Javi Martinez heaped praise on Manchester City’s summer signing Ilkay Gundogan.
Martinez likened Gundogan to Barcelona’s star playmaker Andres Iniesta and the Catalan giants captain Xavi.
Gundogan completed his move to join Pep Guardiola at Man City back in June and is expected to play a key role for his club this season.
“I think Germany have a lot of good players. The most similar player to Xavi and Iniesta is Gundogan, but he has been injured,” Martinez told Goal.
“Germany also have many good young players; Joshua Kimmich, who had an amazing Euros, or Leroy Sane.
So the problem [Germany losing the semi-final at Euro 2016] is not about the players, it can be as simple as sometimes you win, sometimes you don’t.”
Gundogan however has been left out of City’s pre-season tour of China after dislocating his knee while still at Borussia Dortmund.
The 25-year-old is now one of four players born in Germany of Turkish origin in the Premier League with the others being Liverpool star Emre Can, Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil and West Ham winger Gokhan Tore.
Gundogan will miss Manchester City’s first Premier League game of the season against Sunderland in August.
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