14 | Nico Gonzalez - 2025/26

[MCFC1993]

Wouldn’t say it’s way overboard at all.

We have spent £200mil on Phillips, Nunes, Gonzalez and Khushanov. Not one was even given a chance to play regularly in the position they were signed to play in. Now all 4 are surplus to requirements. 2 as quickly as 6 months after signing!

The club then comes out and says it doesn’t like the figures surrounding the Wirtz deal at £100mil. They could have bought 2 of him for that we paid for those 4!.. Granted I do think he just snubbed us, but the last thing we can do is take the high ground over spending after wasting so much money on shite.

You have to earn the right to play there. None are good enough to do so.

Phillips agreed was just a waste, Nunes a waste but at least paid some of that back.

Khusanov and Gonzalez we just can't say a waste for sure, both young and were bodies brought in the help us get CL football. We can probably recoup a large chunk of their fees, along with the CL money earned. They're also not gone yet but I think the rumours are true.

Wirtz turned us down and the club might not have wanted to do the deal financially anyway, both can be true.

In the modern environment, clubs spend and waste money trying to solve problems. United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Spurs and Arsenal have all done it in recent seasons. We're not above it.

 

[MCFC1993]

He’s also a decade younger

So he's got good resale value and we can go again to find the right player for the position.

 

[Ric]

I think that we'd probably consider offers for a quite a few of our players, given the need to reduce the size of the squad. There's probably only 7 or 8 players who could be considered "untouchables". I'd be disappointed if he left without being given a proper opportunity though.

 

[Delphinho]

And yet he might be the worst of those 4 players, the first 2 definitely, I dont rate Kovacic but he's arguably better too.

Did you watch us play this season? Gundogan and Bernardo partnering in midfield is the primary reason we won fuck all last season. It’s not 2021 anymore. Next to no creativity and zero protection to the back four. Their legs are completely gone and we got constantly overrun in midfield, leaking like a sieve defensively. Nico did fine (brilliant against Newcastle for example) given the absolute shit show of a season

 

[brian the blue]

You have to earn the right to play there. None are good enough to do so.

Phillips agreed was just a waste, Nunes a waste but at least paid some of that back.

Khusanov and Gonzalez we just can't say a waste for sure, both young and were bodies brought in the help us get CL football. We can probably recoup a large chunk of their fees, along with the CL money earned. They're also not gone yet but I think the rumours are true.

Wirtz turned us down and the club might not have wanted to do the deal financially anyway, both can be true.

In the modern environment, clubs spend and waste money trying to solve problems. United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Spurs and Arsenal have all done it in recent seasons. We're not above it.

It’s the speed at which they are written off after signing though.

It’s not like Savinho and Kovacic, who have had a good run of regular games and you can assess that they probably aren’t good enough but at least they’ve been given a chance.

It’s the fact that we spend so much money on players that appear to rock up to their first training session and are immediately written off.

If you want to take a gamble on players to get some bodies in, you do deals like we did for Sergio Gomez or Angelino, where you pay less than £10mil and can easily recover it if you don’t want them.

The recent spending deserves all the criticism it’s getting and more.

 

[blueparrot]

I've seen a lot of 'Pep negatives' since he was at Barcelona. The 'positives' have obviously outweighed the negatives over the years, but the negatives are still there, cropping up more often as time passes.

I've never liked the way he favours his friends and surrounds himself with yes men.

I don't lkie him. I never have. I respect his achievements, but don’t like him, nor would I trust him on a personal level.

Coaches / managers come and go. He'll move on soon with my thanks for the trophies, and we will continue to be City.

Now let's get this thread back to Nico Gonzales; a player I hope will be here long enough to get a proper chance under a less arrogant, egotistic coach than Pep.

Says it all really.

 

[MCFC1993]

Did you watch us play this season? Gundogan and Bernardo partnering in midfield is the primary reason we won fuck all last season. It’s not 2021 anymore. Next to no creativity and zero protection to the back four. Their legs are completely gone and we got constantly overrun in midfield, leaking like a sieve defensively. Nico did fine (brilliant against Newcastle for example) given the absolute shit show of a season

Gonzalez was great against Newcastle and then largely irrelevant in every other feature.

Both Bernardo and Gundogan weren't supposed to play as many games as they did, the injuries meant they were slogged. They're both still better than Gonzalez though, I know age comes into it but we're only bothered about this upcoming season.

If we had a game tomorrow to win the league and you have to pick between Gonzalez, Gundogan and Bernardo, there's no doubt Nico would be last pick.

We only have 3 midfield spots:
1) Rodri
2) Reijnders
3) Bernardo
4) Foden
5) Gundogan
6) Cherki
7) Kovacic
8) Gonzalez
Plus Lewis, O'Reilly, Marmoush that could play in there. Plus maybe another new signing.

Again its not just whether he's good enough, its also whether he's willing to wait or fight for game time.

I would hold onto him but I dont see him as anything other than a backup this season.

 

[Maly]

From a very credible source in the football media actually.

Ah, from the media. Must be fucking true then ;)

 

[MCFC1993]

It’s the speed at which they are written off after signing though.

It’s not like Savinho and Kovacic, who have had a good run of regular games and you can assess that they probably aren’t good enough but at least they’ve been given a chance.

It’s the fact that we spend so much money on players that appear to rock up to their first training session and are immediately written off.

If you want to take a gamble on players to get some bodies in, you do deals like we did for Sergio Gomez or Angelino, where you pay less than £10mil and can easily recover it if you don’t want them.

The recent spending deserves all the criticism it’s getting and more.

Yes I agree on criticising the spending, what I dont agree on is saying its too soon to write new signings off over players that are already here.

Other players are given more opportunities because as fans we dont see the day in, day out.

 

[Kippax Kidd]

definitely sounds like it. Or because someone plays ahead of someone else.

If you went to games or your dad or uncle's do you would understand how much the club has changed in the last couple of years . The stuff happening on the pitch and decisions off it = detached.

 

[Ric]

 

[RayCTID]

Well, apart from the fact Pep said he would give everyone time in those first few games

When Rodri was forced off it wasn't Gonzalez Pep called on vs Al-Hilal.

 

[Ajm1985]

This is pretty farcical

 

[merz]

cant see this being true.
the only thing bad is that if the cwc was pep looking ahead to next season its damning that we still played with gündo and bernardo in midfield.

 

[Withnail]

I think that we'd probably consider offers for a quite a few of our players, given the need to reduce the size of the squad. There's probably only 7 or 8 players who could be considered "untouchables". I'd be disappointed if he left without being given a proper opportunity though.

In the few games he has played he has shown glimpses there is a decent player in there. He is not the fastest, but neither is Rodri. It would be a shame if he left in this early stage of his City career.

 

[RayCTID]

It absolutely is though, gonzalez signed a 4 and a half year deal 5 months ago and you’re saying get rid in order to keep a near 35 year old.

1. Why would the player move when he’s likely on a contract better than anywhere else would offer him?

2. Why would the club decide to take a loss after 5 months on a player who’s not even had a fair chance?

3. There’s at least 9 or 10 we should be getting rid of before gonzalez, gundogan and kovacic included.

You’re talking absolute nonsense as per, and if he does leave it only further highlights the disconnect at the club at the moment.

Pep still favours the older guard over him. Even after we signed Gonzalez in January. You expected him to at least get more of a look in during the run in last season especially with Gundo struggling. It is not nonsense at all. He is 23 years old not an EDS prospect who is being gradually easedand isn't being fully utilised. Rodri despite his wobbly first season was still picked.

 

[youngbob]

Wow, City have shut that down fast, haha.

 

[youngbob]

This is pretty farcical

Not sure how it's farcical at all. It's a made-up transfer rumour that City have quickly shut down.

 

[MCFC1993]

Much ado about nothing then.

Although I do believe that we'd hear offers for any midfielder not named; Rodri, Foden, Reijnders, Cherki or Bernardo.

 

[vincent]

Not sure how it's farcical at all. It's a made-up transfer rumour that City have quickly shut down.

I doubt City would say anything else. Telling everyone your players are for sale weakens your position.