Synopsis
On February 4, Manchester City confirmed the signing of Nico Gonzalez from Porto as the January transfer window closed. The 23-year-old midfielder joins the club on a four-and-a-half-year deal, adding depth to Pep Guardiola's squad as they aim for success in multiple competitions this season.Key Takeaways
- Nico Gonzalez joins Manchester City on a four-and-a-half-year deal.
- This marks City's fourth signing in the January transfer window.
- Gonzalez has a strong background, having played at Barcelona and Porto.
- He expressed excitement about working with Pep Guardiola.
- City aims to compete for titles in the Premier League, Champions League, and more.
Manchester, Feb 4 (NationPress) In a last-minute transfer on deadline day, struggling English Premier League champions Manchester City finalized the acquisition of Portuguese star Nico Gonzalez from Porto. The 23-year-old has signed a contract for four-and-a-half years, which keeps him with the club until 2029.
A versatile midfielder, Gonzalez becomes City’s fourth addition during the January transfer window, joining Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis, and Omar Marmoush in Pep Guardiola’s squad, as announced by the club on its official website.
Gonzalez’s football journey began at Barcelona’s renowned La Masia Academy in 2013. He eventually advanced to Barcelona's first team, where he made 37 appearances. A successful loan season at Valencia followed, before he permanently transferred to Porto in 2023. With Porto, he has made 68 appearances and scored nine goals, including the decisive goal in their 1-0 victory over Maccabi Tel Aviv in the UEFA Europa League last Thursday.
Gonzalez described the transfer as ‘ideal’ and expressed his eagerness to begin his journey at City. “This is the perfect opportunity for me at this stage of my career,” he stated. “I am 23 and I want to test myself in England. There’s no better club than Manchester City for me to do that.”
“Look at the squad they have here. It’s incredible, filled with world-class players. There isn’t a footballer in the world who would not want to be part of this environment.”
He further remarked, “I know the reputation Pep has and I cannot wait to work with him. I am truly honored that he wants me in his team. I am extremely excited. I just want to meet my teammates and the staff and then play in front of the City fans!”
Manchester City's Director of Football Txiki Begiristain remarked: “Nico is a very talented young midfielder. He is an ideal acquisition for Manchester City.”
“It was a challenging transfer to finalize as his performances this season have been remarkable, and he has been a key player for FC Porto. We are delighted to have completed this before the window closed.”
“He is prepared to assist us in the latter half of the season as we compete in the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, and Club World Cup.”
Currently, Manchester City stands fifth in the English Premier League with 41 points from 24 matches.
