FC Barcelona have announced the sale of Nico Gonzalez.
FC Barcelona have announced the sale of a former first team player through an official statement emailed to members of the press.
“FC Barcelona and FC Porto have reached an agreement for the transfer of Nico Gonzalez for 8.5 million euros ($9.4 million),” it began.
“The Barcelona club reserves a percentage of a future sale of the player and a right of repurchase.
“FC Barcelona publicly expresses its gratitude to Nico Gonzalez for his commitment and dedication, and wishes him good luck and success in the future,” the statement concluded.
The son of Deportivo de La Coruna legend Fran, Nico joined Barca’s La Masia academy on the cusp of his 11th birthday.
As a defensive midfielder, Nico progressed to the Barca B reserve team in 2019 and the senior squad two years later under Ronald Koeman.
The 21-year-old was promoted to the elite alongside the likes of fellow academy graduates Alejandro Balde and Gavi.
While those two prodigies have successfully secured regular berths in the first XI under Koeman’s successor Xavi Hernandez, however, becoming established Spain internationals who ventured to the World Cup in Qatar in November too, Nico has been unable to replicate their trajectory.
When Koeman was dismissed in October 2021, Nico’s playing time under Xavi began diminishing despite the legendary number 6 considering him to be an “important player” according to a report from SPORT.
After completing the preseason tour of the United States last summer, he was loaned out to Valencia after signing a contract extension.
Returning to Catalonia when the temporary assignment ended, Nico would have aspired to fill the huge boots of former captain Sergio Busquets now at Inter Miami.
Yet he was told by Xavi that he doesn’t feature in his plans according to Catalunya Radio, and was also made to watch the club sign Girona veteran Oriol Romeu.
It was previously thought that Nico would be loaned out again with Real Betis a likely candidate for his next stop.
Last week, however, SPORT and Mundo Deportivo reported that his Portuguese super agent Jorge Mendes, who naturally has contacts at one of his homeland’s biggest clubs, was finalizing a deal that would send the Nico to Porto.
Nico is expected to join Porto on a four-year contract, but Barca have been clever by including a buy-back option in the deal in the event he fulfils his potential.
With Romeu turning 32 in September, Barca should be on the look out for another pivot in a couple of years and Nico will be a cheaper alternative to Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi while also being familiar with the Blaugrana’s style of play.
Heading towards the 2023/2024 season, Barca were priced out of an approach for Zumbimendi because of their financial difficulties and his €60 million ($66 million) release clause in San Sebastian at La Real.