Manchester City are champions of England champions of Europe champions of everything you want to call them but even the biggest and most successful clubs have their problems and right now one of those problems has a name Nico González and it’s a story that tells you so much about modern football transfers about pressure about expectations about the way things can go wrong so fast even when everyone thought it was the perfect move
Imagine this it’s January 2025 the middle of the season the transfer window is open City are fighting on every front as usual they want to win the league again they want the Champions League they want everything because that’s how Pep Guardiola is wired he doesn’t rest he doesn’t take his foot off the gas and he’s looking at his squad thinking they might need something extra especially in midfield because injuries can happen Rodri can’t play every game and if they want to win it all they need depth quality options
So they go shopping and they find their man Nico González a Spanish midfielder just 23 years old playing at FC Porto one of the best clubs in Portugal one of those clubs that churn out talent every year he’s been really good there really solid technically gifted the kind of player you think will slot right into City’s style he’s grown up at Barcelona’s La Masia academy so he knows how to play possession football he’s comfortable on the ball he sees passes he keeps the rhythm ticking it looks like the perfect fit Pep signs off on it the club agrees to pay the money reports say around £50 million it’s not cheap at all but City have the money and they want to win so they do it
Nico himself is over the moon you can see the photos of him grinning in the City kit signing the contract shaking hands with the director it’s a dream come true for him he says it himself in interviews he says he’s been watching City for years he loves how they play he grew up playing like that in Spain he says it’s the best decision of his career he’s ready to flourish in the Premier League he talks about how hard it was to leave Porto how they were like family but this was a chance he couldn’t say no to he’s emotional but also buzzing you can tell he’s genuinely excited
And City fans are excited too they love it when the club buys a highly rated young player they think this is the kind of signing that keeps them ahead of everyone else not just for this season but for the future because Rodri can’t go on forever they need the next great holding midfielder and maybe Nico is that guy he’s not some random punt either he’s come through Barça he’s proven at Porto he’s played Champions League games he’s not a kid who needs years to develop he’s supposed to be ready to contribute right away
But football is a cruel sport sometimes and things don’t always go as planned because Nico arrives in Manchester and reality hits him hard the pace of training the tactical demands the competition for places it’s all on another level Porto are a big club sure but City under Pep are a machine every player knows exactly where to be when to press when to drop when to pass and how hard to work without the ball Nico finds it tough he’s not used to being second guessed he’s not used to being told constantly to adjust his body position to scan before receiving the ball to close space exactly the right way it’s exhausting mentally and physically
And then there’s Rodri let’s talk about him because he’s the mountain in front of Nico Rodri is arguably the best defensive midfielder in the world right now he’s undroppable he’s the safety net the controller the guy Pep trusts more than anyone and he doesn’t get injured much either so Nico doesn’t even get a sniff of the starting XI unless Rodri is being rested or there’s a dead rubber match City can’t afford to experiment in the league not with Arsenal breathing down their necks they can’t afford mistakes in Europe or the FA Cup it’s win every game or it’s failure that’s the standard
To make matters worse City don’t just buy Nico in January they also line up Tijjani Reijnders from AC Milan for the summer a signing that’s now completed Reijnders is another central midfielder versatile hard-working technically excellent but crucially someone Pep clearly likes more or trusts more or maybe just someone who fits better so before Nico has even unpacked his bags properly he’s already slipped down the pecking order he’s behind Rodri he’s behind Reijnders he’s behind Mateo Kovacic maybe even behind the academy guys like Oscar Bobb who can drop deeper if needed, it’s brutal but that’s elite football there’s no time to ease people in there’s no guaranteed bedding-in period if you can’t deliver now you’re out that’s how Pep operates it’s why City win so much but it’s also why they churn through players who can’t meet that standard
So what happens to Nico he tries he really does he trains hard he says all the right things in interviews he talks about learning about adapting about getting better but it’s not enough Pep is watching every session and he sees a player who’s good but maybe not good enough for what City need right now Pep doesn’t do sentimentality he doesn’t care about price tags or potential if he doesn’t trust you to play you don’t play it’s that simple
Look at the stats they tell the story he played just 11 Premier League matches not even starts mind you many of those are late substitute appearances to kill games off to rest Rodri for 10 minutes he also gets four games in the FA Cup but doesn’t score in that competition he does manage one league goal but it’s not enough to change anything the biggest stage he gets is the FIFA Club World Cup where City are playing to be crowned world champions but even there he only plays 61 minutes in total it’s clear Pep doesn’t see him as the answer to anything
Meanwhile the club is planning for the future they know they can’t just stockpile players it’s against the rules but also against Pep’s philosophy he wants a tight group he wants everyone involved no passengers so City start quietly shopping Nico around the football world his agent starts making calls trying to find a new club for his client because he knows staying at City means rotting on the bench at best at worst not even making the squad list for games that’s death for a 23-year-old who should be developing playing growing
Reports say there’s interest from Europe but also from the Saudi Pro League which is now a real option for players looking for minutes and big paychecks maybe that’s where he ends up maybe he goes back to Spain or Portugal maybe another English club takes a chance but it’s clear he has no future at City not under Pep not with the way things are shaping up City see the signing as a mistake that’s what people close to the club are saying they thought he was going to be a rotation option for Rodri someone to learn the system and eventually take over but he hasn’t shown enough to justify the investmen
And it’s not like Pep hasn’t been here before remember Kalvin Phillips they signed him for big money too thinking he could be Rodri’s backup it didn’t work out he struggled with injuries with fitness with understanding the system Pep gave him chances but he didn’t deliver and now he’s gone Nico looks like he might be following the exact same path it’s like City can’t crack the code of signing a Rodri understudy because Rodri is so unique so intelligent so good at what he does that replacing him is almost impossible
But it’s not just about ability it’s about trust Pep has to trust you completely he has to know you’ll execute the plan without thinking that you’ll cover the spaces he needs covered that you’ll make the right decision 99 times out of 100 because at City the margin for error is razor thin you don’t get to lose games while you figure it out there’s no patience for that not when Arsenal are pushing you every week not when the Champions League knockout stages are looming
