As of right now, Manchester City are short of midfield options ahead of the 2026-27 Premier League season getting under way this weekend. Looking at Enzo Maresca’s squad, there is Elliot Anderson, Mateo Kovacic, Rico Lewis, Nico O’Reilly, Phil Foden, Nico Gonzalez and Rayan Cherki who will form City’s midfield against Bournemouth. Rodri and Tijjani Reijnders left earlier this week, and Bernardo Silva departed when his contract expired at the end of the 2025-26 season. It has now been revealed that Nico Gonzalez has been informed that he can leave Manchester City. If that report is correct, yet another midfield option could leave Enzo Maresca’s squad.
Nico Gonzalez has reportedly been informed by Manchester City that he is free to leave the club.
Craig Hope of the Daily Mail has reported that Nico Gonzalez has been informed that he can leave Manchester City this summer. Furthermore, it is reported that Newcastle United maintains a strong interest in signing the Spanish midfielder and he is becoming open to the move. Lastly, it is also reported that some of Nico Gonzalez’s City teammates are trying to convince him to shun Newcastle’s interest and stay at City.
It is hard to pick exactly what the issue is with Nico Gonzalez that could see him leave City this summer.
If Craig Hope’s report is on the money, Nico Gonzalez is heading for an exit from Manchester City. He’d be another midfielder that City would have to replace. It is seemingly City’s plan to replace any player who leaves from this point onwards.
It does seem harsh that Nico Gonzalez has been told he can leave the FA Cup and Carabao Cup holders. The Spanish midfielder is the only number six in Enzo Maresca’s squad. Also, Nico Gonzalez showed during the first half of last season that he can play a role for this City team. He held down the fort superbly well while Rodri was out last season playing in Rodri’s role. So there is evidence that Nico is good enough to play in an Enzo Maresca side.
It is hard to see why Pep Guardiola cast Nico Gonzalez aside during the second half of last season outside of Rodri’s return from injury and the need to play him into form last season. Enzo Maresca seems to prefer Mateo Kovacic in midfield rather than Nico. Maybe Nico isn’t thought to be physically strong enough to compete consistently in Manchester City’s midfield. Perhaps the issue could be that Nico’s work in possession isn’t up to standard. I’m not sure what the issue is but clearly there is something that the majority are missing.
Final thoughts.
The chances that Nico Gonzalez could leave Manchester City now seem to have increased exponentially. Especially if he has been told he is free to leave the club this summer. You do wonder what the issue with Nico Gonzalez as a player is. He is held in high regard by City fans so it is a puzzling situation.
City have thrown in the towel this season before a ball is kicked. Savinho is the latest to leave and soon to be followed by Gonzalez and Marmoush. Previously Stones Silva Ake Rodri Akanji Trafford and Reindjers have departed. These leaving in addition to the large number of younger players out on loan or have been sold.
Arteta has taken five years to build a team able to win the league and it has taken Maresca five weeks to dismantle a double cup winning team.
Change is inevitable but City so assured in the transfer market for the past ten seasons are now scrabbling around looking at Kone who is injury plagued and rejected by the rags. Also negotiations to buy the 18 year old Moroccan lad have lasted all summer and City have not yet got their man. Chelsea’s Fernandez is under consideration and comes with much baggage.
Adam Wharton, some Brazilian from Palmerias and others have been mentioned. There is some desperation present.
Meanwhile Kovacic and Lewis remain!!
Is the club about to be sold?
No it won’t be sold. Khaldoon said as much in his end of season interview last summer.
I could not have put it better myself. You speak for many of our regulars in Supporters Groups around the North West alone where optimism 4 weeks ago is turning darker. I hear all this stuff from Maresco about long term project but what have we supposingly being doing over the past 2 years? Players who were signed for the future such as Nico and Marmoush are no longer wanted but as you say we want to keep Lewis and Kovacic and you may as well throw in Donnarrumma and Foden into that equation as well. There is no plan on the horizon and my guess is there will not be. If we start to drop down the PL how long will it take for blind faith to keep us up. What is Maresca’s CV compared to our previous coaches? Something really odd going on and very un City like even pre Pep
Purely hypothetical, what if we nail the final 10 days of the transfer window and the squad looks better and completely different/stronger? The reaction to this all could be vastly different. Conversely, it all could all be justified if we don’t nail the signings we need to make.
From the summer of 2024, the club made errors in the transfer market. The summer of 2024 where only Gundogan and Savinho came in was the big mistake. It led to what happened during the 2024-25 season and the January 2025 window was justified to get bodies in to secure Champions League football. It worked in that regard. But unfortunately Marmoush and Nico Gonzalez are seemingly not up to the level desired. It isn’t Maresca alone who seems to hold that opinion, Pep cast those two aside last season for whatever reason. Maybe they’ll get better elsewhere, who knows. But at this stage I’d be surprised if either remain at the club.
It is a galling situation right now, but me personally, I’ll make an assessment when the window closes and we know the make up the squad. I’ll give the club’s hierarchy the benefit of the doubt while acknowledging they have made mistakes in previous transfer windows
Of course Adam you are quite right that we should wait until after September 1st but the views expressed by myself and Mr Duncan are not isolated ones. There is a general air of unease. Now when you said it was “also pep’s judgement” about Marmoush and Nico all as I can say, and having seen his manic behaviour in the latest documentary, could anyone really trust his judgement? You can see why Walker left when he protested about being blamed for everything and Pep said “because you are captain”. Great Man Management!!!.
Maybe a large part of the current situation lies with Pep and the instability,who knows but I am only expressing views shared by many. City fans are not well known for turning against Managers since Les McDowall was smuggled out in a laundry basket and the last was Ron Saunders, a man with less personality than Maresca who dismantled the side and got rid of Lee and Co to disasterous effect for no good reason than to “rebuild” just like now and Maresca has about as much charm and personality than a brass plate on a coffin lid. I would be happy to risk £100 bet on him being gone within 2 years
Fully agree with all this, Adam. I have to wonder, however, if Enzo F., Bouaddi, Kone and Wharton are even really available at this time? Retention of Nico G. is an absolute must at this point, or we will be cooked the first half of the season. It takes time for new players to bed in, not to mention that we have a new manager and staff.
Putting aside the fact that new players have to bed in etc, that is a given I think the transfer market will explode into life next week until the deadline. We have players we want, that we’ll have to pay a premium for, so will other clubs. Barcola leaving PSG being an example and there are countless others.
Selling clubs know the market is inflated, and they know holding onto players until the final week means they’ll make more money off of selling their important players. Teams know we are loaded with cash after the sales so we aren’t above the market trened. That’s how I see it right now, and we’re not above how the market has played out in that regard. Just my thoughts anyway.
I think Rico Lewis is staying because he is home grown. We also have Foden. Guehi. Anderson. Grealish. O’Rilley WilsonEsbrand. Bettinelli. That’s the 8 players required for a full squad in the champions league. I might be wrong. Let me know.
Players under 21 don’t count not sure how old O’Rilley is. Or if I missed anyone.