Nico Gonzalez: Man City hopeful of completing Deadline Day signing of Porto midfielder

Manchester Metropolis are hopeful of concluding a Deadline Day deal for Porto midfielder Nico Gonzalez.

Talks had been understood to be ongoing between the golf equipment on Monday over the switch payment.

Sky Sports activities Information beforehand reported Metropolis, who misplaced 5-1 to Arsenal on Sunday, don’t wish to meet the midfielder’s £50m launch clause.

Gonzalez has been included within the Porto squad to face Rio Ave on Monday night time.

Man Metropolis have already spent £130m on this switch window, bringing in Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis.

Metropolis have been exploring their choices out there for a brand new No 6 with former Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz, one among various midfielders they’ve been wanting into.

Nevertheless, Gonzalez may now be on his strategy to the Etihad Stadium as Metropolis look to proceed their January spending spree.

The 23-year-old joined Barcelona’s academy in 2013 and made 27 appearances for the membership earlier than becoming a member of Porto in a deal value €8.5m in 2023.

One aspect to negations is the actual fact Barcelona could be due 40 per cent of any payment acquired by Porto for the midfielder.

The Portuguese aspect even have the choice to buy an extra 20 at any level, lowering Barca’s reduce on a potential switch to twenty per cent.

Merson: Metropolis panicking badly on Gonzalez

Sky Sports activities’ Paul Merson on Deadline Day:

“I’ve not seen this lad play so do not know an excessive amount of about him. However they want gamers in midfield. Lots of people say it isn’t simply Rodri. It’s simply Rodri.

“Rodri sees hazard, Rodri is disciplined, Rodri stays within the centre, he will get ahead and sits again and protects the backline as properly, and he passes the ball via the road in a short time.

“I like Mateo Kovacic, however he’ll go over and dribble with the ball and folks find yourself all out of place. He and Bernardo Silva get simply ruined within the final half-hour at Arsenal.

“Should you take away the half-hour and first 20, Metropolis had been excellent at Arsenal. It was a great away efficiency. However that takes away the primary 20 minutes once they may have been out of the sport, and the final half-hour – so it isn’t a lot in between that.

“The difficulty is that Gonzalez is available in for £50m, as quickly as Rodri’s match, that is it. I do not assume he performs. Except you play them collectively and I do not assume that you must.

“That is the issue with wages and shopping for gamers, you neglect that by the beginning of subsequent season, this man is sitting on the bench with huge cash. You then have a look at James McAtee with a superb younger future they usually must promote him for the honest play guidelines. It is a knock-on impact. In the event that they purchase Gonzalez, they have to be panicking badly to get into the highest 4.”

Sky Sports activities’ Tim Sherwood on Deadline Day:

“You may’t evaluate the Portuguese league with the Premier League. It is a threat, particularly in January.

“What precisely are Metropolis signing Gonzalez for? Except you are going to herald somebody who is best than what you’ve got received and can beat Actual Madrid in a Champions League play-off sport, apart from that they have nothing else to play for.

“They can not beat Actual Madrid with the midfield they’d yesterday. They’ve to search out one thing completely different to that. However are they ever going to search out somebody ok to try this on this switch market? Completely not.

“Douglas Luiz could be the no-risk one as a result of he is aware of the Premier League, however it appears like that isn’t going to get achieved. When everybody’s match, Gonzalez is not going to play and they’ll ship him out once more.”

Or is it an ideal match for Man Metropolis?

European soccer professional Kevin Hatchard on Sky Sports activities Information:

“It is an absolute match, he may do a extremely good job for them. Pep Guardiola has been an admirer of him for a while, Metropolis have been as properly.

“He is been linked with a transfer to Metropolis since he was a youth participant so he is a extremely attention-grabbing determine who has matured at Porto. He has made some ahead steps there and may very well be a extremely good participant.”

Statman Dave talking on Sky Sports activities Information:

“He suits in completely. He got here in via the Barcelona youth academy and is tall. He does remind me a little bit little bit of Rodri, there is a likeness there when it comes to his dimension and his command of the ball.

“Sure, there’s plenty of work to do with him however you consider getting one other physique in defensive midfield – Metropolis want that proper now. We noticed how dangerous their relaxation defence was in opposition to Arsenal. What number of instances had been they caught three-on-two?

“He is a participant that may are available in, play soccer the Guardiola approach and evolve. You have a look at Metropolis’s window – two centre-backs, probably the greatest attackers in Europe in Omar Marmoush and a defensive midfielder.”

‘Negotiations difficult in Metropolis’s pursuit of Gonzalez’

Sky Sports activities Information’ Ben Ransom at Man Metropolis’s coaching floor:

“He is a participant Man Metropolis actually like.

“Midfield has been an issue for Metropolis this season within the absence of the injured Rodri, so Gonzalez suits the invoice. He is a participant Metropolis have scouted extensively.

“Gonzalez’s dad, Fran, who was a participant for Deportivo, has labored in Metropolis’s academy and Metropolis, when Nico was 14 and 16 tried to signal him twice.

“He has now impressed at Porto within the 18 months since his transfer from Barcelona.

“It is the transfer from Barca that really makes this transfer difficult as a result of negotiations are revolving over the payment. The participant has a £50m launch clause and because it stands Porto need that paid in full.

“That is due partially as a result of Barcelona have a 40 per cent sell-on clause, so that might be fairly a piece on any potential payment.

“There’s additionally a second aspect to this deal the place Porto can purchase half of that payment from Barca for €6m. So, basically, they will scale back that outlay to €18m IF Metropolis pay the complete launch clause.

“Nevertheless, Metropolis are taking part in hardball. They do not wish to meet that valuation as issues stand.

“This deal is a little bit of a wait-and-see. One supply has advised me that if Metropolis don’t meet the discharge clause the deal could be off and that might be their switch window over.

“However that is switch deadline day and we all know cash talks. The 2 golf equipment are speaking so there may nonetheless be some motion.”