FC Porto are insisting that Nico Gonzalez will not be allowed to join Manchester City unless the midfielder’s €60m release clause is met.
City have made Gonzalez their top target to reinforce in midfield and are working on a deal before the deadline.
Pep Guardiola is desperate to bring in a new midfielder, with City having struggled in the absence of the injured Rodri. The flaws in the club’s engine room were exposed during Sunday’s 5-1 defeat at Arsenal.
🚨🔵 Manchester City have made direct contact again this morning with FC Porto to advance on Nico González deal.
No issues on personal terms but Porto insist on €60m release clause for Nico. pic.twitter.com/TRKNvV4ByD
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) February 3, 2025
Gonzalez came through the ranks at Barcelona before joining Porto in 2023. He has impressed this season, scoring five times and providing three assists in 17 Primeira Liga appearances.
The 23-year-old has a release clause of €60m (£49.9m) in his contract at the Estádio do Dragão and Porto are demanding that fee is met in full. Barcelona will be keen observers on developments, having inserted a 40% sell-on clause in the €8.5m deal that took the Spaniard to Porto.
Fabrizio Romano has revealed that the player is keen on the move to English football with personal terms over a long-term contract already agreed.
Should City activate the release clause, it will take the club’s spending past £170m this month. The Blues have already brought in Omar Marmoush, Vitor Reis and Abdukodir Khusanov to strengthen their squad. Guardiola’s side are currently fourth in the Premier League table, 15 points adrift of leaders Liverpool.
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