14 | Nico Gonzalez - 2025/26

[Blue Maverick]

I’d say every player has a chance now, apart from Phillips and hopefully Savinho

 

[WallyA]

All of a sudden if Enzo comes in, im unsure about alot of players.

Maybe Enzo wants to keep Nico G?

No idea anymore.

Summer should be very interesting.

 

[BLVCKNBLUE95]

I think I have watched this video like 1000 times.



He had a very decent first half of the season, I even stopped thinking about Rodri and enjoyed every game.

TBH he wasn't playing at Rodri's level, but there was potential and big room for improvement.
And at the age of 23-24, he wasn't supposed to be playing at prime Rodri's level, like Rodri himself wasn't that good when he first arrived and needed 2-3 years to become the best in world football.

Everton game was disaster, I agree, he made a lot of mistakes, stupid mistakes, but that doesn't erase his contributions in the first half of the season.

He had very good away game in FA Cup, against Newcastle, so second half wasn't that bad, except the Everton game.

What I mean is, let's look at Arsenal. They have Zubimendi and Rice.
Even if Rodri leaves and Anderson arrives, I don't think Nico + Anderson duo, will be worse than Arsenal duo.

A lot of players struggled there. Kalvin Phillips was bad, Matheus Nunes also.
Only Nico was able to deliver stable results there, I think it was Pep's fault more, he should have played him more and maybe his form won't have declined that much.

But potential is there. This video highlights his abilities and level he played during October-December period.

How on Earth Pep fumbled this. Proves we could have given Rodri more rest instead of playing him 95% of games.

 

[WallyA]

Ages ago, I had this idea about Nico G as a John Stones CB to DM role.

Pep never did it, apparently that role for John was came up by from Enzo Maresca.

Maybe we can do it now?

Most likely he is leaving anyways, but it was an idea I had hoped Pep would try some day.

 

[Georgian]

There is big difference between playing good and controlling the game and outcome.

Rodri started doing that in 22/23 but more noticeable Rodri's overall influence in our success was in 23/24 (when he won Ballondor)
Yaya Toure was doing same in 2013/2014 but in PL only.

Therefore, no player, even if we sign Anderson or Tonali or whoever, will be able to do that.

Rodri also needed number of seasons to start influencing the games.
2019/2020, 2020/2021, 2021/2022, 2022/2023 - he was progressing year-by-year.

Difference is that our team was very strong. We had prime KDB, prime Bernardo, prime Gundogan, prime Walker.
Around these players, Rodri playing good and progressing was enough.

In the first half of the season. Ruben-Gvardiol duo were playing at a very high level and leading the team.
Foden-Bernardo duo in midfield was also very effective, not as good as Bernardo-KDB or Bernardo-Gundo of previous years, but good enough. Haaland was scoring, Cherki effect, Doku's improvement, Matheus-Oreilly introduction.

So what we need is to improve other positions. Like.. sign adequate replacement for Bernardo, who will be more energetic and physically strong. Sign player like Doku for RW, so that our attack was more sharper and stronger.
Solve problems related to injuries. It's not a coincidence that our bad results this season were related to the lack of good alternatives in August and January. In October-December period we literally played without bench.

And in that case, Nico G will be able to follow Rodri's path.
Improve year-by-year and at certain age starts influencing games.

Potential is there...

 

[GaudinoMotors]

Why is it even being whispered he could go? Should be building the team around him based on that first half and the semi - final.

 

[jaiguruKun]

Why is it even being whispered he could go? Should be building the team around him based on that first half and the semi - final.

I like him and he's played well but that is going a bit far.

 

[loio]

Maresca wont let Nico go and not Sav either, he loves wide wingers and there not many around. I can though see Rodri go late in the window.. and thats why I cant see City even contemplating letting Nico go until very late in the window or if he really insist on it and got a great offer to bring to City.

If they let Nico go early in the window its a sign that Rodri will stay for sure but Rodri is at the WC and Nico is not so I cant see it really, too much happening and too complicated.

 

[GaudinoMotors]

I like him and he's played well but that is going a bit far.

I'm confident he could develop into something very special indeed.

 

[bhayes]

The fact that he is starting in a game finally that means absolutely nothing shows that pep never rated him at all.

 

[handsofstone]

He may not be Rodri but he's very good footballer who I hope stays

Understand if he wants to leave, he does well for most European clubs

 

[Pedestrian]

His treatment by pep has been odd. Probably chuffed with the managerial change.

 

[OrigamiNinja]

Nowhere near the top level. He’s bang average and if he plays a lot of games, the side won’t be doing too well.

 

[Doc_Testosterone]

Average. Barca booted him for a reason. Send him back to where he belongs, Portuguese league.

 

[RayCTID]

Still reasonably talented but another gamble that didn't quite pay off. He is decent cover the issue is he'll want to play more regular football.

 

[jollylescott]

Pep doesn't rate him, so it'll be interesting what Enzo and Viana make of his long term future. I just think he lacks speed of thought and movement.

 

[Master-Lotus]

He's a decent backup for our main defensive midfielder but that's it.

 

[Zabbasbeard]

I like him and if he and club want to continue then we should keep his development going. We need top class players now too. Tonali and Anderson fit the bill.

 

[denTTony]

He is slow with mobility but also slow in thought, seems to take him an age sometimes to work out his next pass

 

[Gabriel]

Mentioned before that Viana could have taken him to Sporting but chose Hjulmand instead, paying more for the pleasure as well.
Up to the new boss to determine, but if Gonzalez is no better than a 65% fit Rodri and not robust enough to feature in a double pivot, then he’s going to make the new manager’s decision easy.