Arsenal, Aston Villa, and Liverpool are reportedly interested in signing 22-year-old Spanish defender Nico Gonzalez from FC Porto next year.
According to a report by Spanish outlet SPORT, Arsenal, Aston Villa, and Liverpool are keen on signing Nico Gonzalez. The FC Porto midfielder has a release clause worth €60 million in his contract with the Portuguese giants. Meanwhile, the Spaniard’s sale will benefit Barcelona, with the Blaugrana having a 40 per cent sell-on clause in the agreement with FC Porto.
Nico Gonzalez and his resurgence at FC Porto
Nico Gonzalez has got his career back on track since joining FC Porto from FC Barcelona in July 2023. A native of A Coruna, the Spanish midfielder began his youth career in his hometown before joining Barcelona and spending a decade with the Blaugrana. The youngster progressed through the ranks at La Masia before breaking into the first-team squad at the Catalan club.
However, the 22-year-old could not become a regular for Barcelona, and the Blaugrana sold him to FC Porto nearly 18 months. Since then, Gonzalez has come leaps and bounds, becoming a regular in the middle of the park for FC Porto, turning out over 50 times thus far for the Primeira Liga outfit while chipping in with eight goals and seven assists. Meanwhile, his progress has alerted Premier League bigwigs like Arsenal, Aston Villa, and Liverpool.
A man in demand, set for an Premier League adventure?
Arsenal will dip into the market for a midfield reinforcement heading into the 2025 summer transfer window. Jorginho and Thomas Partey have entered the final seven months of their contracts. In addition, the two midfielders are on the wrong side of 30, compelling Arsenal to identify a potential replacement. So, several candidates, including Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, have emerged on their radar, with Gonzalez also a viable target.
Meanwhile, Aston Villa’s interest in Nico Gonzalez is intriguing. The West Midlands outfit signed Amadou Onana in the summer transfer window. So, it is unclear how the former Barcelona midfielder fits into the scheme of things at Aston Villa unless they sell a midfielder.
As for Liverpool, the Reds are scouring the market for a midfielder heading into the 2025 summer transfer window. While Ryan Gravenberch has been a revelation this season, Arne Slot wants another option for the midfield department. So, Gonzalez is a viable target for Liverpool.
The Spaniard has a release clause worth €60 million in his contract with FC Porto, and the Primeira Liga outfit will point to it to part ways with him next year. Meanwhile, Barcelona will benefit from Gonzalez’s sale due to a 40 per cent sell-on agreement with Porto. So, it will be interesting to see if Arsenal, Aston Villa, or Liverpool will help fill Barcelona’s coffers next year.
