Manchester City are hopeful of concluding a Deadline Day deal for Porto midfielder Nico Gonzalez.
Talks were understood to be ongoing between the clubs on Monday over the transfer fee.
Sky Sports News previously reported City, who lost 5-1 to Arsenal on Sunday, do not want to meet the midfielder’s £50m release clause.
Gonzalez has been included in the Porto squad to face Rio Ave on Monday night.
Man City have already spent £130m in this transfer window, bringing in Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis.
City have been exploring their options in the market for a new No 6 with former Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz, one of a number of midfielders they have been looking into.
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Kevin Hatchard talks Sky Sports News through his pick of ‘Players to Watch’ on Transfer Deadline Day
However, Gonzalez could now be on his way to the Etihad Stadium as City look to continue their January spending spree.
The 23-year-old joined Barcelona’s academy in 2013 and made 27 appearances for the club before joining Porto in a deal worth €8.5m in 2023.
One element to negations is the fact Barcelona would be due 40 per cent of any fee received by Porto for the midfielder.
The Portuguese side also have the option to purchase an additional 20 at any point, reducing Barca’s cut on a possible transfer to 20 per cent.
Merson: City panicking badly on Gonzalez
Sky Sports’ Paul Merson on Deadline Day:
“I’ve not seen this lad play so don’t know too much about him. But they need players in midfield. A lot of people say it’s not just Rodri. It is just Rodri.
“Rodri sees danger, Rodri is disciplined, Rodri stays in the centre, he gets forward and sits back and protects the backline as well, and he passes the ball through the line very quickly.
“I like Mateo Kovacic, but he will go over and dribble with the ball and people end up all out of position. He and Bernardo Silva get just ruined in the last 30 minutes at Arsenal.
“If you take away the 30 minutes and first 20, City were very good at Arsenal. It was a good away performance. But that takes away the first 20 minutes when they could have been out of the game, and the last 30 minutes – so it’s not much in between that.
“The issue is that Gonzalez comes in for £50m, as soon as Rodri’s fit, that’s it. I don’t think he plays. Unless you play them together and I don’t think you need to.
“This is the problem with wages and buying players, you forget that by the start of next season, this guy is sitting on the bench with big money. You then look at James McAtee with a brilliant young future and they will have to sell him for the fair play rules. It’s a knock-on effect. If they buy Gonzalez, they must be panicking badly to get into the top four.”
Sky Sports’ Tim Sherwood on Deadline Day:
“You can’t compare the Portuguese league with the Premier League. It’s a risk, especially in January.
“What exactly are City signing Gonzalez for? Unless you’re going to bring in someone who is better than what you’ve got and will beat Real Madrid in a Champions League play-off game, other than that they’ve got nothing else to play for.
“They can’t beat Real Madrid with the midfield they had yesterday. They have to find something different to that. But are they ever going to find someone good enough to do that in this transfer market? Absolutely not.
“Douglas Luiz would be the no-risk one because he knows the Premier League, but it looks like that is not going to get done. When everyone’s fit, Gonzalez isn’t going to play and they will ship him out again.”
Or is it a perfect fit for Man City?
European football expert Kevin Hatchard on Sky Sports News:
“It’s an absolute fit, he could do a really good job for them. Pep Guardiola has been an admirer of him for some time, City have been as well.
“He’s been linked with a move to City since he was a youth player so he’s a really interesting figure who has matured at Porto. He has made some forward steps there and could be a really good player.”
Statman Dave speaking on Sky Sports News:
“He fits in perfectly. He came in through the Barcelona youth academy and is tall. He does remind me a little bit of Rodri, there’s a likeness there in terms of his size and his command of the ball.
“Yes, there’s a lot of work to do with him but you think of getting another body in defensive midfield – City need that right now. We saw how bad their rest defence was against Arsenal. How many times were they caught three-on-two?
“He’s a player that can come in, play football the Guardiola way and evolve. You look at City’s window – two centre-backs, one of the best attackers in Europe in Omar Marmoush and a defensive midfielder.”
‘Negotiations tricky in City’s pursuit of Gonzalez’
Sky Sports News’ Ben Ransom at Man City’s training ground:
“He’s a player Man City really like.
“Midfield has been a problem for City this season in the absence of the injured Rodri, so Gonzalez fits the bill. He’s a player City have scouted extensively.
“Gonzalez’s dad, Fran, who was a player for Deportivo, has worked in City’s academy and City, when Nico was 14 and 16 tried to sign him twice.
“He has now impressed at Porto in the 18 months since his move from Barcelona.
“It’s the move from Barca that actually makes this move tricky because negotiations are revolving over the fee. The player has a £50m release clause and as it stands Porto want that paid in full.
“That’s due in part because Barcelona have a 40 per cent sell-on clause, so that would be quite a chunk on any potential fee.
“There’s also a second element to this deal where Porto can buy half of that fee from Barca for €6m. So, essentially, they can reduce that outlay to €18m IF City pay the full release clause.
“However, City are playing hardball. They don’t want to meet that valuation as things stand.
“This deal is a bit of a wait-and-see. One source has told me that if City do not meet the release clause the deal would be off and that would be their transfer window over.
“But this is transfer deadline day and we know money talks. The two clubs are talking so there could still be some movement.”
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Gonzalez has impressed with his performances for Porto this season, showcasing his technical ability and composure on the ball. His potential has caught the eye of City’s scouts, who see him as a long-term prospect for the club.
With just hours left in the transfer window, City are working hard to finalize a deal for Gonzalez. The midfielder’s representatives are said to be in talks with the club, and there is optimism that an agreement can be reached before the deadline passes.
If the deal goes through, Gonzalez would provide City with additional depth in midfield and give manager Pep Guardiola more options in the middle of the park. His arrival would be a welcome boost for the team as they look to defend their Premier League title and compete for silverware on multiple fronts.
Stay tuned for more updates on this developing transfer saga as Deadline Day unfolds. City fans will be hoping that Gonzalez arrives at the Etihad Stadium to bolster their squad for the rest of the season.
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