Man City buy Nico Gonzalez for £8m more than release clause in huge £175m transfer spree

Manchester City have splashed out £50 million on Nico Gonzalez from Porto, sending their transfer window expenditure through the roof at £175million. The deal sees Gonzalez sign for a four-and-a-half-years until 2029.

The 23-year-old ace, set to don the No. 14 shirt, is part of a January spree that includes Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis and Omar Marmoush as fresh recruits.

Gonzalez expressed his thrill over the move, stating: "This is the perfect opportunity for me at this stage of my career. I'm 23 and I want to test myself in England.

"There's no better club than Manchester City for me to do that. Look at the squad they have here - it's unbelievable, full of world-class players. There isn't a footballer in the world who would not want to be part of this setup.

"I know the reputation Pep (Guardiola) has and I cannot wait to work with him. In fact, I'm honoured he wants me to play in his team. I'm truly excited. I just want to meet my team-mates and the staff here and then I want to play in front of the City fans."

City's director of football, Txiki Begiristain, is also enthusiastic about the midfielder's potential: "Nico is a very talented young midfielder. He's an ideal acquisition. It was a difficult transfer to complete because his performances have been outstanding and he has been such an important part of what Porto are doing this season.

"We're really happy we have managed to get this done before the window closed. He's ready to help us in the second half of the season as we compete in the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and Club World Cup."

Despite Gonzalez having a £42m release clause in his contract, it is understood that City have offered nearly £50m for the player, in exchange for a more favourable payment structure of the deal.

City have been on the hunt for a central midfielder to strengthen their squad since Ballon d'Or winner Rodri suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament against Arsenal last September, which ruled him out for the season.

The Spain Under-21 international's versatility in being able to play a range of midfield positions made him an attractive option for City, who have been hit hard by the enforced loss of Rodri.

City's positive net spend over recent years has allowed them to significantly strengthen in this window, with the Premier League champions, currently in fourth place, 15 points behind leaders Liverpool, at risk of missing out on a Champions League spot for the first time since 2010.

Guardiola's struggling champions, who face holders Real Madrid in a two-leg play-off to reach the Champions League knockout stage, were thrashed 5-1 by Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

This article first appeared on The Mirror.