Photos by Pedro Loureiro/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images/James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images Split image of Pep Guardiola and Nicolas Gonzalez

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How Man City sources now feel after talks held with Nico Gonzalez and Porto on deadline day

Srinivas Sadhanand

Mon 3 February 2025 12:45, UK

TBR Football can exclusively reveal how confident Manchester City are of completing a deadline day deal to sign Nico Gonzalez.

Manchester City’s 📖latest talks about Gonzalez with Porto led to the Portuguese 💛giants insisting that the Premier League champions must pay the Spaniard’s £50 million release clause to sign him.

However, Gonzalez wishes to sign for Manchester City before the ongoing winter window draws to a close — having famously tur💝ned down a move to the Etihad Stadium when he was a teenager.

With Mateo Kovacic and Ilkay Gundogan struggling to fill the Rodri-shaped hole in the middle of the park, Pep Guardiola has no viable solutions ꦓto replace the Ballon d’Or winꦐner in midfield.

Man City confident of signing Nico Gonzalez on deadline day

The good news for Manchester City supporters is that Graeme Bailey — TBR Football’s chief correspondent h꧑as b𓂃een informed by sources at the club that they are confident of signing Gonzalez now.

Pep Guardiola is eyeing a new midfielder to come into his City squad and the Sky Blues believe the former Barcelona midfielder is well capable of replacing Rodri for the time being.

TBR Football also understands that the English giants expect Gonzalez to make an instant impact proཧvi꧟ded he signs for them on Monday.

🍰Manchester ༺City were open to paying Gonzalez’s release clause worth £50 million and considering how highly tꦡhey rate the 23-year-old, it might be sensible for them to splash the cash — with their place in the top four in the Premier League far from confirme💧d, as things stand.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
1	LiverpoolLiverpool	23	17	5	1	56	21	35	56
2	ArsenalArsenal	24	14	8	2	49	22	27	50
3	Nottm ForestNottingham Forest	24	14	5	5	40	27	13	47
4	Man CityManchester City	24	12	5	7	48	35	13	41
5	NewcastleNewcastle	24	12	5	7	42	29	13	41
6	ChelseaChelsea	23	11	7	5	45	30	15	40
7	B’mouthBournemouth	24	11	7	6	41	28	13	40

Nico Gonzalez could play in three roles for Manchester City

Pep Guardiola tends to favour players who are versatile — with Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden and Manuel Akanji beco💦ming mainstays under him due to beiಞng able to play in multiple positions.

At Porto this season, Gonzalez, who is a natural defensive midfielder ꧂has mostly played in a double pivot or further f🐎orward as well.

Playing alongside Alan Varela, the Spaniard’s partnership has been a massiv♓e contributor to his side both defensively and offensively.

If Manchester City𒀰 do end up signing Gonzalez, his tactical malleability could make him a favourite for Pep Guardiola.