Coach Sérgio Conceiçao adamant on keeping the Galician midfielder at Porto following his impressive recent performance.
Amidst a flurry of market speculations, the future of Nico González hangs in the balance. The latest reports from Porto suggest that the talented midfielder, who honed his skills at Barcelona's famed La Masia academy, will not be leaving the Portuguese club during the winter transfer window. While a loan move seemed plausible, Nico's standout display in the recent match against Boavista seems to have swayed Sérgio Conceiçao, the head coach of the "dragões," to retain him as part of the squad.
The decision is rather intriguing given that Nico only played for 21 minutes during the derby, ending in a 1-1 draw. In fact, the Galician player has had limited opportunities since joining Porto, prompting thoughts of a departure in search of more playing time, reminiscent of his fruitful stint at Valencia.
The allure of Michél Sánchez's Girona has been a significant factor influencing Nico's desire to leave Porto. Girona, currently leading the league alongside Real Madrid and having secured a spot in the Champions League round of 16, can provide the perfect platform for the midfielder to resurrect his career. For Girona, acquiring a player of Nico's caliber would undoubtedly be a major coup.
Nevertheless, Porto, aware of his immense potential and recognizing that titles will be determined in the latter half of the season, is reluctant to let go of the talented midfielder. Despite having accumulated only 559 minutes of playing time across 15 games so far, the club remains firm in their decision to hold on to him. Nico's contract with Porto extends until June 2028, further emphasizing their commitment to his development.
This is an apparent setback for Girona, as they attempted to secure Nico's services in the summer transfer window, only to come up empty-handed, allowing Porto to secure the €8.5 million deal. Barcelona had the foresight to include a future sale percentage and a repurchase clause, estimated to be valued around €30 million.
The situation may evolve in the upcoming weeks, as the market continues to fluctuate. The fate of Nico Gonzalez lies in the balance, with fans eagerly watching to see if Girona can succeed in their second attempt to bring the promising midfielder to Montilivi.