The current FC Barcelona team boasts of several talents that have grown out of its academy and gone on to lay a claim for positions in the first team. Players like Gavi, Lamine Yamal, Fermin Lopez, and Pau Cubarsi are regular features in Xavi’s team, even though they are very young at the moment.
There have been other players who showed very promising signs when promoted to the first team in recent season but had to leave the club for various reasons. One such name that Barcelona fans will remember readily is Nico Gonzalez, who had some notable appearances with Barcelona before he was transferred to Porto last summer.
The midfielder had a rather slow start in Portugal, as he had to go through a lengthy spell on the sidelines with an injury, and then found it hard to hold a position in the starting lineup. However, he has overtaken these barriers in the last few weeks and has become a very important player for Sergio Conceicao.
His progress at Porto has also not gone unnoticed at Barcelona, and according to SPORT, the player was the topic of a recent meeting between Joan Laporta and Jorge Mendes, as they discussed their future options about a player on whom Barcelona still have several rights.
The Catalans allowed Nico to leave for Porto last summer mainly to make the required reductions in their wage bill. The Blaugranes got €8.5 million for him but kept an option to buy him for €30 million till 2025, and also kept the right to receive 40% of any future fee paid for the footballer.
Thus, there are two ways open for the club in regards to Nico. The Catalans are in the market for a midfield pivot, and are very satisfied with Nico’s performances. However, the high price they will have to pay for him makes such a possibility somewhat complicated for them.
On the other hand, Mendes also informed Barcelona about Nico’s high demand in the market. He believed that offers from the Premier League can come in the summer, and as Porto is traditionally a selling club, a significant portion of the transfer fee that is paid for the midfielder would also end up in Barcelona’s coffers.
Now, Barcelona have to make a decision about one of their assets that has a high demand in the market, but one that can also help the club sportingly going forward. Thus, they will also be keeping an eye on the match between Porto and Arsenal tonight, as Nico’s performance in such a high-stakes match will clearly showcase his ability to play at the highest level.
