Manchester City footballer to fundraise for city's restaurants

Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gündogan has launched a campaign to raise money for Manchester cafés and restaurants hit by the pandemic.

Gündogan has said he will auction prizes, including virtual ‘meet and greets' and signed shirts and boots from matches, until the end of the Premier League season in May.

He said: "All proceeds will go to cafés and restaurants in Manchester that are struggling with the effects of the lockdown. Over the last few years I spent a lot of time in the city's many wonderful cafés and restaurants. During this time, I have met so many great people who tell me how difficult the situation has become for them in the last weeks and months due to the lockdown. I want to use the initiative to support people during this challenging time and at the same time offer fans the opportunity to buy something special at auction."

The charity page here already features bids of more than £2,000.

Photo: Huma Khan, Flickr