Man City set to go back in for £50m-rated Rodri replacement with January transfer spending in line to rise to £173m
PEP GUARDIOLA will make a third attempt to land £50million-rated holding midfielder Nico Gonzalez — after twice failing to sign him as a schoolboy.
The Porto star has been targeted as the man to fill Manchester City’s problem position with Rodri sidelined, possibly for the rest of the season.
But Pep will have to pay top dollar for Spain Under-21 golden boy Gonzalez, 23.
Portuguese outfit Porto insists they will not sell their prize asset unless his £50.15m buy-out clause is triggered.
They also want the bulk of it paid up front, as Barcelona will get a 40 per cent sell-on fee for the star they sold for nearly £7m in 2023.
Porto are in a strong bargaining position after selling Brazilian winger Galeno to Saudi Pro League club Al-Ahli for £45m.
Guardiola is a long-term admirer of Gonzalez but has previously baulked at paying megabucks to replace Ballon d’Or winner Rodri, as he sees two holding midfielders as a waste of one player.
But Pep is determined not to let him slip away for a third time.
As a youngster, he was invited to join City’s academy when his father became part of Guardiola’s backroom staff in 2016 but committed to Barca instead.
He knocked City back a second time in 2018.
It would take City’s spending over £173m this window after bringing in Omar Marmoush, Vitor Reis and Abdukodir Khusanov.
City will be back in action this evening, travelling to the Emirates to take on Arsenal.
The defending Premier League champions enter the match in fourth place in the table, a whopping 15 points behind table-toppers Liverpool.