Barcelona is closely monitoring the ongoing negotiations between Manchester City and FC Porto regarding Porto’s midfielder, Nico González. The English club is pushing to sign González this winter, and talks between the two clubs are reportedly in advanced stages, according to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, citing reliable Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano.
González, whose contract with Porto runs until June 2028, is currently valued at €18 million. However, his contract includes a €60 million release clause. The Spanish midfielder, a product of Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy, played 37 matches for Barça’s first team before joining Porto in the summer of 2023 for €8.44 million.
Barcelona’s Financial Hopes
When Barca sold González to Porto, they included two key clauses in the deal: a buyback option set at €30 million and a 40% sell-on clause for any future transfer. Barcelona is now hoping that Manchester City will trigger González’s €60 million release clause, which would net the Catalan club €24 million—a significant financial boost.
Barcelona, under president Joan Laporta, continues to work on stabilizing the club’s finances, despite recently activating additional economic levers, such as selling VIP seats at Camp Nou. So far, the club has not made any new signings in the current winter transfer window. Reports suggest that a potential loan deal for Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford is also at risk due to Financial Fair Play regulations.
González’s Impressive Form
This season, González has been in excellent form for Porto, featuring in 29 matches and contributing to 13 goals (7 goals and 6 assists), according to Transfermarkt. If the deal goes through, he would become Manchester City’s fourth signing of the winter window, following Egyptian striker Omar Marmoush and defenders Vitor Reis and Abdukodir Khusanov.
This potential transfer could be a win-win situation: Manchester City would secure a talented midfielder, while Barcelona would receive a much-needed financial injection to aid their ongoing recovery.
