Barcelona made Nico Gonzalez transfer blunder that cost them £25m
Barcelona have made yet another transfer blunder following Nico Gonzalez’s switch to Manchester City. The Premier League champions took their January spending to a whopping £180million after securing the signature of the FC Porto midfielder for £50m. Nico Gonzalez has completed his switch to Manchester CityAFP The Spaniard began his senior career at Barcelona’s famous La Masia academy and was handed his opportunity in the aftermath of Lionel Messi’s blockbuster exit from the club. The cash-strapped Catalans had little choice but to place their faith in their fringe players as Gonzalez joined Alejandro Balde and Gavi in the first-team set-up. Despite an encouraging start to life at the Nou Camp which drew comparisons to club legend Sergio Busquets, Gonzalez’s trajectory changed direction and while Gavi and Pedri rubber-stamped their places in the starting XI. However, Gonzalez was afforded nothing more than a handful of substitute appearances. A season-long loan at Valencia followed in the 2022/23 season before he was eventually sold to the Portuguese giants for around £7m. The deal which took Gonzalez to the 2004 Champions League winners included a 40 per cent sell-on clause as well as a £25m buyback. However, Porto reserved the right to not only halve the sell-on percentage but also to cancel the buyback by paying the Catalans just £2.5m. As Gonzalez got to grips with his new surroundings in Portugal, his performances improved and as any savvy business would, Porto exercised their right by paying the measly sum in exchange for a bigger share of any potential future transfer fee. Fast forward to February 2024 and Gonzalez’s transfer to Manchester City has seen Barcelona lose out on a much-needed windfall. Under the previous conditions, Barca would have received a healthy £17.1m as 40 per cent of the capital gains, as explained by journalist Dale Johnson. Instead, the Spanish giants will now pocket around £8.6m – a loss of £8.5m taking Porto’s payment into account. Gonzalez graduated from Barcelona’s La Masia academy and broke into the first-team picture in the 2021/22 season The situation presents yet another embarrassing episode for BarcelonaGetty If the clause was still active, Barcelona could have re-signed Gonzalez for around £25m before transferring to City for £50m. It is another example of poor financial planning by the Catalan club whose highly-documented woes have plagued the club in recent years. Meanwhile, Gonzalez has penned a four-and-a-half year contract, becoming City’s fifth signing of the January transfer window The 23-year-old has been brought in to help fill the void left by Ballon d’Or winner Rodri who has been missing for much of the season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury. Gonzalez, who played a key role in Porto lifting the Portuguese Cup last season, expressed his delight at signing for the the Premier League champions. He said: “This is the perfect opportunity for me at this stage of my career. GettyPep Guardiola has more ammunition in midfield after the deadline day signing of Gonzalez[/caption] “I am 23 and I want to test myself in England. There’s no better club than Manchester City for me to do that. “Look at the squad they have here – it’s unbelievable, full of world-class players. There isn’t a footballer in the world who would not want to be part of this set-up.” Gonzalez also spoke of his excitement at linking up with former Barcelona player and manager Pep Guardiola. “I know the reputation Pep has and I cannot wait to work with him,” he added. “In fact, I am honoured he wants me to play in his team.”
Barcelona have made yet another transfer blunder following Nico Gonzalez’s switch to Manchester City.
The Premier League champions took their January spending to a whopping £180million after securing the signature of the FC Porto midfielder for £50m.
The Spaniard began his senior career at Barcelona’s famous La Masia academy and was handed his opportunity in the aftermath of Lionel Messi’s blockbuster exit from the club.
The cash-strapped Catalans had little choice but to place their faith in their fringe players as Gonzalez joined Alejandro Balde and Gavi in the first-team set-up.
Despite an encouraging start to life at the Nou Camp which drew comparisons to club legend Sergio Busquets, Gonzalez’s trajectory changed direction and while Gavi and Pedri rubber-stamped their places in the starting XI.
However, Gonzalez was afforded nothing more than a handful of substitute appearances.
A season-long loan at Valencia followed in the 2022/23 season before he was eventually sold to the Portuguese giants for around £7m.
The deal which took Gonzalez to the 2004 Champions League winners included a 40 per cent sell-on clause as well as a £25m buyback.
However, Porto reserved the right to not only halve the sell-on percentage but also to cancel the buyback by paying the Catalans just £2.5m.
As Gonzalez got to grips with his new surroundings in Portugal, his performances improved and as any savvy business would, Porto exercised their right by paying the measly sum in exchange for a bigger share of any potential future transfer fee.
Fast forward to February 2024 and Gonzalez’s transfer to Manchester City has seen Barcelona lose out on a much-needed windfall.
Under the previous conditions, Barca would have received a healthy £17.1m as 40 per cent of the capital gains, as explained by journalist Dale Johnson.
Instead, the Spanish giants will now pocket around £8.6m – a loss of £8.5m taking Porto’s payment into account.
If the clause was still active, Barcelona could have re-signed Gonzalez for around £25m before transferring to City for £50m.
It is another example of poor financial planning by the Catalan club whose highly-documented woes have plagued the club in recent years.
Meanwhile, Gonzalez has penned a four-and-a-half year contract, becoming City’s fifth signing of the January transfer window
The 23-year-old has been brought in to help fill the void left by Ballon d’Or winner Rodri who has been missing for much of the season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Gonzalez, who played a key role in Porto lifting the Portuguese Cup last season, expressed his delight at signing for the the Premier League champions.
He said: “This is the perfect opportunity for me at this stage of my career.
“I am 23 and I want to test myself in England. There’s no better club than Manchester City for me to do that.
“Look at the squad they have here – it’s unbelievable, full of world-class players. There isn’t a footballer in the world who would not want to be part of this set-up.”
Gonzalez also spoke of his excitement at linking up with former Barcelona player and manager Pep Guardiola.
“I know the reputation Pep has and I cannot wait to work with him,” he added. “In fact, I am honoured he wants me to play in his team.”
