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.
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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.
[bc_video account_id=”5067014667001″ application_id=”” aspect_ratio=”16:9″ autoplay=”” caption=”How Omar Marmoush helped Pep Guardiola reinvent Man City’s tactics in one game” embed=”in-page” experience_id=”” height=”100%” language_detection=”” max_height=”360px” max_width=”640px” min_width=”0px” mute=”” padding_top=”56%” picture_in_picture=”” player_id=”default” playlist_id=”” playsinline=”” sizing=”responsive” video_id=”6367841789112″ video_ids=”” width=”640px”]The defending Premier League champions enter the match in fourth place in the table, a whopping 15 points behind table-toppers Liverpool.