The terrible need of Manchester City to a central midfielder was finally tackled with the signing of £ 50 million by Nico Gonzalez from Porto. In the 23-year-old Spaniard, Pep Guardiola hopes to have found someone who can play instead of Rodri and next to him.
Gonzalez's height and physicality point to the kind of robustness and athletics that are very lacking in the absence of Rodri, while his goal well, which plays in a more advanced role at Porto, shows that he is versatile enough to be more than a backup .
It is a bet on a family tree and potentially the fact that Gonzalez is not yet a complete Spain international. But he is full of both, the native Galician has been identified as a talent that is worth developing within the Barcelona academy before he was even a teenager.
Pau Marti coached Gonzalez in the B team of Barcelona in the third level of Spain for a full season before he saw him ahead to make 37 performances for the first team. “In those years I worked with many good players,” Marti tells Sky Sports. Gonzalez was a bit different.
'Read the game'
For graduates from La Masia, the B team can be a tough school where their slick passing play is exposed to a different style, many opponents a decade older. “Nico was one of the players who had more impact in the team, even though it was so young,” says Marti.
“Sometimes it is difficult for young players to make the difference play in the third division against men. But he did it. It was how he played, how he read the game, how he dealt with the situation. Ronaldo Arajo was one Other that I remember who could do that.
“When Nico was in the B team, you could see that he made the difference. In some aspects, such as physicality, he was very high above the rest. You could quickly see that he didn't get enough. He was someone who Someone was who certainly wanted to go on.
“When you're in Barcelona, you always hear about a few names when they get through the youth levels, those you know, will arrive in the first team, you just don't do that when. Together with Gavi and, of course, Lamine [Yamal]Nico was one of them.
“So adult”
“He was 18 when he played for the B team and he was so mature in that team that he might start one or two games on the couch. Then he was in the team because he was in that position for everyone.” He also took the first team of football in his pass.
“That was his adulthood. At that age, when you play for Barcelona, players can sometimes be everywhere. Many people talk about them. They become famous. They get some good money from a young. But Nico was not influenced by that.
“He was very confident, but he was always willing to learn, willing to listen and improve his game. He is very intelligent and he that desire and expectation that he will go to the next level.” It helps to explain the movements to Valencia and Porto. He supported himself.
'Busquets style of player'
What is interesting, perhaps crucial for him who earns this move to Manchester City is that leaving Barcelona has seen his game develop in a different way. The player with whom he was the most compared in La Masia was Sergio Busquets, the big midfielder.
“Being so big but good with his feet, I think he is very similar,” says Marti. “We usually used Nico as a no. 6, if that busquets style of player. He is very strong, able to read the game and able to defend in that position too. I think he is a pure for me no. 6 “
Gonzalez, 6ft 2, was actually used as a no. 8 in the younger categories, although that also applies to busquets. “He also started as a no. 8 and played a little higher. Nico always wanted to play higher.” It took a step away from Barcelona to get that chance.
It is in Porto, the club where he concluded in the summer of 2023 with an advanced £ 8 million deal, where that capital was more obvious in the last third part of the field and became a real target threat. Gonzalez scored twice for Barcelona. He scored seven for Porto this season.
'The ball moves quickly'
“For his size, I think it's how he moves the ball so quickly. That is not common for his size. That's why he scores goals, it is good near the box and does the last pass. He is so confident and so calm with the ball, protecting the ball and using his body. “
That looks a lot like Rodri, who of course scored a number of famous goals. Although there are differences. Gonzalez is someone who arrives in the box earlier to lock a chance instead of cracking one from the edge of the penalty area.
Marti states that a no. 6 in the city should be a little different than a no. 6 with a team that is less dominant anyway. Rodri sometimes becomes more a no. 8. “Because they can dominate higher in the field, this means that the No. 6 is also fairly close to the box.”
The figures from Gonzalez reflect his impact at the top of the field. He achieved the top 10 players in Portugal for possession and won and fits completed in the last third part. Although it played so high, his completion percentage was still more than 90 percent.
The conviction of Marti remains that the deeper role in the long term will be the best in Gonzalez. “I think he can be a very good song 8 but an excellent number 6.” Being able to do both is what makes Gonzalez so attractive. “It depends on what Pep wants.”
'Pep will have a plan'
Someone with presence who can stop bleeding the city on the counterattack is what Guardiola wants in the short term. What is certain is that Gonzalez is a player he will know enough about. His father Fran was an international teammate of his.
“Pep is a good friend of Fran.” The Deportivo La Coruna legend was part of the staff in Manchester City for a few years. “Pep will know everything about Nico a long time ago. I am sure he will learn a lot from Pep, I think he will have a plan for him, 100 percent.”
For Barcelona supporters, the idea of Gonzalez who continued his development of the club was already an uncomfortable one. The prospect that he blooms under Guardiola in Manchester City is particularly disturbing. It didn't have to be that way.
“I thought he would stay,” Marti admits. “Because for me he was a player who, even so young, started playing at a good level of games. Sometimes it can be difficult to be young in Barcelona. It might see Lamine on the opposite side now, but it Can that be.
“There is a lot of pressure on the young players. I think Nico was doing reasonably well, but there was also a financial situation. And maybe he saw that it would be difficult for him to have minutes and he wanted to get more experience. I think he could have stayed.
“I think he could have been the perfect fit for Barcelona because of his profile, another Sergio Busquets for the club, but sometimes that's football. In Barcelona, when Nico starts to perform, everyone will now start complaining why why We let him go. “
But for those who know him, there is only proud. “Whether it is city or Barcelona, I am so happy.” And this can only be the beginning. “If he gets minutes, he can also get the chance with Spain.” A big move for Nico Gonzalez. And a solution for Manchester City.