Manchester City have reportedly held talks with Newcastle United over a possible transfer of midfielder Nico Gonzalez. The Magpies are looking to fill the voids left in their midfield engine rooms following the departures of Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes from St James' Park.
Exploratory talks opened
The Athletic reports that Newcastle have opened exploratory talks for the Spanish midfielder, along with other potential targets. Nico featured 41 times for City last season, but only started two matches after January, including the final fixture of the campaign, where Pep Guardiola fielded several fringe players.
Nico arrived from Porto to help cover the absence of Rodri after his ACL injury that season, with Guardiola's squad lacking midfield depth. The former Spain under-21 international couldn't quite replicate the impact of Ballon d'Or winner Rodri, with Nico being more of a box-to-box midfielder rather than a game controller like his compatriot.
Player's stance and background
Despite struggling for regular game time last season, the 24-year-old stated he had no issues with his playing time at the Etihad Stadium following his £52m transfer in January 2025. Newcastle's interest in Nico comes after Rodri's departure to Barcelona was confirmed.
"I'm happy here," Nico previously stated when questioned about his future at City. "I don't want to leave and I think the club wants me to stay. I haven't seen anything, but I'm happy here."
"I don't think any player has the position guaranteed for all the matches. Everyone has to work hard. We are one of the best teams in the world, and obviously, there is competition in every position."
"That is what makes us be in the position that we are, winning so many Premier Leagues and competing for everything."
FA Cup and future prospects
Nico helped City reach the FA Cup final, scoring a late winner against Southampton in the semis, but was left out of the side for the FA Cup final. Despite missing out, Nico said: "I don’t think it was difficult for me. When I play, I think I do a really good job. A good example was the semi-final of the FA Cup when I did a good match. Every chance I got I tried my best."
"The final of the FA Cup, I was out but we won so it was an amazing day for me. If we win, I’m happy. My dream is to win trophies. If I don’t play any matches and we win the Champions League next year, I will be so happy."
The midfielder emerged from Barcelona's renowned La Masia academy, featuring 37 times for Barca's senior side throughout the 2021-22 season. The report suggests Newcastle are confident they can maximise Nico's abilities with regular playing opportunities following the high-profile exits of Tonali and Guimaraes.
