Manchester City formally approach FC Porto over midfielder Nico Gonzalez | OneFootball

Premier League champions Manchester City have made a late formal approach to FC Porto for midfielder Nico Gonzalez, according to emerging reports.

Txiki Begiristain and his recruitment colleagues have been active in the ongoing January transfer market, and having already spent in excess of £120 million on three new players, the club remain very much active in the final days of the window.

That ongoing search centres around the middle of Pep Guardiola’s operation, and having seen midfield struggles emerge throughout the season particularly in light of Rodri’s long-term injury, there is an awareness that investment must be made in the position.

So far, Manchester City have had little luck in bringing in a new central midfielder, having showing an interest in a short-term loan deal for Juventus’ Douglas Luiz, and holding admiration in Atalanta’s Éderson.

But with just a few days remaining in the market, it appears as though the pursuit of a new name in the central role is intensifying, with Txiki Begiristain now taking the search and conversation over to Portuguese football.

According to exclusive information from transfer market insider Fabrizio Romano, Manchester City have now made a formal approach to FC Porto over central midfielder, Nico González with talks now underway.

It is detailed that the Portuguese giants still hope to keep Gonzalez and are set to ask for an important transfer fee from Manchester City or else the player will not make the move to the Etihad Stadium this month.

Interestingly, it is pointed out that the 23-year-old Spaniard has a release clause in his Porto contract worth €60 million and his former club, FC Barcelona retain a 40 per cent sell-on clause as part of the deal that saw the player head to Portugal in 2023.

Additional reporting from Sky Sports News’ Lyall Thomas has further revealed that Manchester City are not prepared to meet the player’s release clause, and it remains to be seen whether Porto are open to negotiation.

Gonzalez has been at the Portuguese side for only one-year-and-a-half after joining Porto from Barcelona in July 2023, signing a five-year contract in the Primeira Liga for a reported fee of €8.5 million.

Should Manchester City manage to find an agreement with Porto, any such deal would represent a significant profit for the club, and make Gonzalez the latest player from Estadio do Dragao to represent the Etihad Stadium club, too.

In total, there have been four connections linking Manchester City with FC Porto, after Nicolas Otamendi, Fernando Reges, Danilo, and Eliaquim Mangala represented the two clubs with varying success when it came to their Premier League careers.