Manchester City Nears €60m Deal for Porto’s Nico González

MANCHESTER, England — Manchester City is closing in on a deal to sign Porto midfielder Nico González for a fee believed to be around €60 million ($62 million), sources told ESPN on Monday. The Premier League club has been reluctant to meet the release clause but is now poised to finalize the transfer before the UK’s 11 p.m. deadline.

González, 23, joined Porto from Barcelona in 2023 and has a release clause of approximately €60 million. City initially valued the player closer to €40 million but is now prepared to meet the higher fee to secure his services. A significant portion of the transfer fee, potentially up to 40%, will be owed to Barcelona as part of the agreement from his move to Porto.

The Spanish midfielder is seen as a versatile addition to Pep Guardiola‘s squad, capable of playing in defensive, central, and attacking roles. His arrival would address City’s midfield depth following Rodri‘s season-ending knee injury. Guardiola currently relies on Mateo Kovacic, Matheus Nunes, Ilkay Gündogan, Kevin De Bruyne, and Rico Lewis for midfield options.

City has been active in the transfer market this season, spending a combined £122.5 million on new signings, including forward Julián Álvarez from Eintracht Frankfurt and defenders Murilo from Palmeiras and Facundo Medina from Lens. The club is also exploring a potential loan deal for Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz, with an option to make the move permanent next summer.

Meanwhile, City has rejected an approach from an unnamed club for 19-year-old midfielder Alex O’Reilly. While open to letting O’Reilly leave, City insists on including a buy-back clause in any deal.

As the transfer window nears its close, negotiations between City and Porto continue, with both sides working to finalize the details of González’s move.