14 | Nico Gonzalez - 2025/26

[rice10]

Hopefully we can put these rumours to bed now, and see how he develops as a player in his first full season at the club.

I think the bigger question is that if indeed Nico G is not for sale and the club have never had any intention of selling him then it is baffling that Guardiola is not giving him any minutes ahead of players who will end up leaving the club.

The club coming out to shut down the leaving rumours does nothing to quell the fact that Guardiola sees Nico as seventh choice central midfielder as evidenced by his amount of game time. The worst case scenario and what I think it looks like from the outside looking in is that the club want him stay but Guardiola doesn't think he is good enough and wont play him if he has a choice. I know Pep is a genius but surely it is more beneficial to give more time to the players staying than those leaving.

I think you could rinse and repeat the above for Khusanov and potentially Reis but they both have the excuse of being teenagers or just turning 20 so their lack of game time is a bit more acceptable. However if Akanji, Stones, and Ake dont leave then the two of them will be 6th and 7th choice centrebacks and for their development they just wont get enough minutes.

 

[alexmcity]

...it is baffling that Guardiola is not giving him any minutes ahead of players who will end up leaving the club.

Pep played the old guard because he took the tournament very seriously and because he knows Gundo and Bernie get his system far better than Gonzalez. He thought Tijjani was quick to learn how we play, he has specific qualities that fit the system better than Gonzales.

Most of us fans don't get the intricacies of Pep's system and why some players fit it better than other. Even Bernardo and Rodri needed a season to get it. Like them, it might well be that Gonzalez doesn't understand the system yet.

 

[mattcity5]

I do think we'll only truly know what's going on here once the transfer window has closed. Viana is having to do some juggling in terms of who leaves and what foreign spaces that leaves us and the HG players available.

If we really want a right-back and Livramento is the best option, due to HG, then we may be put off by the price.

A possibility then could be to sell Nico, bring in Wharton and that frees up a space for a foreign right-back, and probably overall works out cheaper than just buying Livramento.

No idea if that could happen, but I think there are a lot of moving parts at the moment and we can't judge any potential transfer in isolation, we need to look at the full squad we have at the end of the window.

 

[RayCTID]

Didn't intend to come across as insulting. I was making the point that I don't agree with yours and I don't think they are the best direction for the club.

I agree that Pep favours others over Gonzalez (which I and many others think is his Achilles heel) but I think it would be wrong to consider getting rid when we have plenty who are at the end of the road, over the hill or simply not good enough.

I don't think we've seen anywhere near enough of Gonzalez playing in a functioning team to determine if he can cut it at City or not.

No problem. I wind my neck in as well.

 

[Ajm1985]

It’s his agent that’s done it Mendes is Nico’s agent he’s close to Fabrizio. just need to get used to it Mendes is known for this, moving his players around or giving stories to the press.

With Viana here now we will be doing more business with Mendes. So we will have to get used to it.

Viana and Mendes have a close relationship. Mendes and Fabrizio have a close relationship so he’s going to get more news about City, Exclusives etc

We already have 5 Mendes clients (4 before Nico G) - not sure how much more business we'd be able to do with him or that it's that linked to Viana

 

[Dax777]

I do think we'll only truly know what's going on here once the transfer window has closed. Viana is having to do some juggling in terms of who leaves and what foreign spaces that leaves us and the HG players available.

If we really want a right-back and Livramento is the best option, due to HG, then we may be put off by the price.

A possibility then could be to sell Nico, bring in Wharton and that frees up a space for a foreign right-back, and probably overall works out cheaper than just buying Livramento.

No idea if that could happen, but I think there are a lot of moving parts at the moment and we can't judge any potential transfer in isolation, we need to look at the full squad we have at the end of the window.

But Wharton would probably cost as much as Livramento. That said, it was him i wanted all along. English, plays like a City player and has serious Moxy.

 

[mattcity5]

But Wharton would probably cost as much as Livramento. That said, it was him i wanted all along. English, plays like a City player and has serious Moxy.

I remember £60m being mentioned a lot for Wharton and thought maybe there was a release clause. Could be totally wrong about that though. If there isnt it could go up beyond that yeah.

Edit - the point stands as an example of how we may need to work though, and why we may end up accepting offers for some players we'd otherwise prefer to keep.

 

[eastmanc]

I think the problem Lavinda is that no matter what Pep does, your opinion won't change. Which means it doesn't hold any value. You didn't like him before, you don't like him now, you won't like him in the future. You've convinced yourself on a false image of the guy and have now just decided to double down.

Oh and within the football industry, he's considered one of the best man managers of all time and even people like the Zinchenko you've mentioned worship the guy. In fact out of the hundreds of players he's worked with, I can probably think of less than 5 who have ever had a problem with him. Most of them say he's the absolute best they've ever worked with.

This all day long.

 

[Dax777]

I remember £60m being mentioned a lot for Wharton and thought maybe there was a release clause. Could be totally wrong about that though. If there isnt it could go up beyond that yeah.

Edit - the point stands as an example of how we may need to work though, and why we may end up accepting offers for some players we'd otherwise prefer to keep.

True

 

[himalayan_blues]

Pep wants his DMF to be the best. Never make a mistake. His vision for a DMF is completely different than most of the coaches.
Nico is learning. He will be just fine next season.

 

[CΛL]

Pep played the old guard because he took the tournament very seriously and because he knows Gundo and Bernie get his system far better than Gonzalez. He thought Tijjani was quick to learn how we play, he has specific qualities that fit the system better than Gonzales.

Most of us fans don't get the intricacies of Pep's system and why some players fit it better than other. Even Bernardo and Rodri needed a season to get it. Like them, it might well be that Gonzalez doesn't understand the system yet.

He came through at La Masia, and he played well when given a chance, something else is afoot imo

 

[rice10]

Pep played the old guard because he took the tournament very seriously and because he knows Gundo and Bernie get his system far better than Gonzalez. He thought Tijjani was quick to learn how we play, he has specific qualities that fit the system better than Gonzales.

Most of us fans don't get the intricacies of Pep's system and why some players fit it better than other. Even Bernardo and Rodri needed a season to get it. Like them, it might well be that Gonzalez doesn't understand the system yet.

I completely understand your point but if you look back at the first seasons of Bernardo and Rodri, both players featured in over 50 games. Rodri in particular started around 30 games in the premier league in his first season so they were both, despite learning the intricacies of Pep's system, playing regularly.

The other counter point i would make is that Nico G was brought in at our lowest point under Pep so youd expect him to get more of a chance than he has done whereas Bernardo and Rodri were trying to get into teams that had either won the league the previous season or were racking up 100 points!!

Ultimately i want Nico G to be a success as i do with all players and i want him to be given a chance but i dont think he is getting much of a chance under Pep at a time when it would seem a perfect opportunity to get game time.

 

[alexmcity]

I completely understand your point but if you look back at the first seasons of Bernardo and Rodri, both players featured in over 50 games. Rodri in particular started around 30 games in the premier league in his first season so they were both, despite learning the intricacies of Pep's system, playing regularly.

The other counter point i would make is that Nico G was brought in at our lowest point under Pep so youd expect him to get more of a chance than he has done whereas Bernardo and Rodri were trying to get into teams that had either won the league the previous season or were racking up 100 points!!

Ultimately i want Nico G to be a success as i do with all players and i want him to be given a chance but i dont think he is getting much of a chance under Pep at a time when it would seem a perfect opportunity to get game time.

Ferna played many games at CB, which made it easy for Rodri to start many games at DM.

Gonzalez played initially but then some players returned and Pep didn't want to take risks with making the CL, so he played them over Gonzalez.

I seems Pep rates Gonzalez lower than both Rodri and Bernardo in their first seasons. Also, I think we are somewhat open to letting Gonzalez go and investing the money in an English midfielder. I hope Gonzalez will be given a proper chance if he stays.

 

[Kippax Kidd]

Mgw being bought for the money spent on Nico

 

[super_city_si]

Mgw being bought for the money spent on Nico

Id prefer Nico.

We already have players who can play where MGW does and do it better. We need cover for Rodri and Nico looks to me like he has the tools

 

[Brewster's millions]

Mgw being bought for the money spent on Nico

Personally I’m not particularly bothered about missing out on MGW as I don’t see him as a top level player.

But I do find it concerning that PSG bought Neves for what we paid for Gonzalez.

PSG bought a stand out performer in a CL winning side - just 20 years of age - and for the same fee we bought somebody who couldn’t get into our worst midfield in years, and who hasn’t even been capped by Spain.

I think this summer’s business has been better, but transfer-wise we haven’t been operating at the very top level for a while now.

 

[Berti No Show]

Nico started

Games Drawn/Lost

Real
Liverpool
Brighton

Nico benched

Games Drawn/Lost

Real
United
Southampton
Palace
Al-Hilal

When he does not play we lose points to very average teams. The dropped points when he has started has been against decent to excellent sides.

We also beat a good Fulham side who beat Liverpool and an in form Everton side who were in a good run with Nico starting.

 

[Berti No Show]

Mgw being bought for the money spent on Nico

And Nico will turn out a much better player.

 

[kingn6]

We also beat a good Fulham side who beat Liverpool and an in form Everton side who were in a good run with Nico starting.

Yes and somehow he is the problem.

It is is the experienced player that let us down.

 

[doobyedoobye]

The fact that so early on there seems to be plenty of noise that he may leave makes it a very odd signing for such a fee