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Manchester City set to sign Porto midfielder Nico Gonzalez in £50m deal

Manchester City are on the verge of signing Porto midfielder Nico Gonzalez, a move that will take their January transfer spending close to £180m.

Man City’s hopes of securing an unprecedented fifth consecutive Premier League title have all but faded after falling 15 points behind league leaders Liverpool over the weekend, having also played a game more.

A dismal run of form in November and December derailed their campaign, prompting the reigning champions to make significant reinforcements.

While the new arrivals may not salvage this season, they could provide City with a head start in 2025/26 by allowing the squad to settle early.

Once Gonzalez’s transfer is finalized, the Spaniard will become City’s fifth signing of the winter window, following Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis, Omar Marmoush, and Juma Bah – who have already cost around £127m.

Man City identified the 23-year-old as a target but initially hesitated over his €60m (£50m) release clause.

According to ESPN, Man City preferred a reduced €40m (£33m) fee, but Porto were reluctant to negotiate due to a sell-on clause entitling Barcelona to 40% of the transfer fee.

However, Fabrizio Romano reported on Monday that City ultimately agreed to pay the full amount in structured installments, avoiding an upfront payment to trigger the release clause.

This breakthrough allowed Nico Gonzalez to travel to Manchester in time for a medical and to sign his contract, ensuring the deal is completed before Monday’s transfer deadline.

Gonzalez, a product of Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy, broke into the first team alongside Gavi, making 37 senior appearances in the 2021/22 season.

He spent the following campaign on loan at Valencia before joining Porto for just €8.5m in the summer of 2023.

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Joseph Agbobli
Joseph Agbobli
Football Correspondent at Binge Football. In the role of Football Correspondent, he's responsible for producing exclusive and original stories and interviews. Follow Joseph on X (formerly Twitter) @joseph_agbobli
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