After returning to FC Barcelona from a loan to Valencia last summer, Nico Gonzalez’s future at the Catalan club is still highly uncertain.
Nico spent the last season on loan at Valencia but could not make any significant impression because of the turmoil that Valencia found itself in and a lengthy injury that kept him out of action for months. The player had been training with the Barcelona squad for the last few days, but was not included in the squad list for US pre-season tour.
Furthermore, Xavi Hernandez talked with Nico last Monday about his role in the squad, and it was concluded that the best option for the youngster right now is to look for a club that can guarantee him minutes and an appropriate level of competition.
Xavi does not see Nico as a natural successor of Busquets and believes he is a more attacking midfielder than the former Barcelona captain. However, with the incorporation of players like Gundogan and Romeu, Nico will find it extremely difficult to get enough minutes during the next season.
The player and his entourage believe the best destination for Nico right now is the Portuguese club, Porto. His agent, Jorge Mendes, has been influential in selecting this destination.
Negotiations between Porto, Barcelona, and Nico for his move are already well advanced as per a recent report from Mundo Deportivo, and it was in this context that the player decided not to travel with the Barcelona squad to the USA.
The current stumbling block in the negotiations is the nature of the transfer. Porto want a loan with the option to purchase the player at the end of this loan term, while Barcelona want a sale with a buyback clause that would ensure they can get the player back if he grows well in Portugal.
While Porto are the most advanced in negotiations with Nico, there are other sides that are also interested in the midfielder. Girona have him in their sights to replace Romeu in their squad, while Real Betis are also keen to get him for the next season.
