Nico Gonzalez on Swapping Porto on Manchester City
05/02/2025
CFA Studios, Manchester, UK
05/02/2025
CFA Studios, Manchester, UK
Category
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SportsTranscript
00:00Nico, many, many congratulations and welcome to Manchester City.
00:05First off, can you describe your emotions at joining the club?
00:09It's great. It feels amazing to be here, to finally have the chance to play for such a great team
00:18and I'm very excited to start as soon as possible.
00:21Can you describe why you've decided to move to City and at this stage of your career?
00:27Obviously, when a team like City, maybe the best team in the last 10 years, wants you,
00:36you don't have any other option, so it was easy for me to want to come here.
00:43Now that you've made the move and you're here in Manchester, what are you most excited about looking ahead?
00:49I'm really excited to meet the players, to see the great level, the best players in the world,
00:57so I want to see how good I am and try to improve myself.
01:04You've obviously had a really successful 18 months or so playing over in Porto.
01:10Was it a tough decision to leave there?
01:14Obviously, it was difficult for me because I was so happy there.
01:18I was playing my best season ever and it wasn't easy to say goodbye to the people.
01:26I felt like it was my family, but it was easier for me also to leave there and come to Manchester
01:34because it's such an opportunity for me to grow and it's the best decision I could make.
01:43As you mentioned, you've been playing some absolutely magnificent football
01:47and you were voted the Premier League Player of the Year in December.
01:51How have you improved your game this season?
01:54I think this season I've started to arrive more to the area and score and assist many goals.
02:02I think I've also improved a lot in the intensity and I hope this helps me in the Premier League.
02:09For any Manchester City fans who perhaps haven't seen too much of you play so far,
02:14Nico, how would you describe your own style of play and what you're about as a player?
02:20Obviously, I was raised in La Masia.
02:23I've always, since I was small, played a similar game as Manchester City plays.
02:35But also in Porto, I try to improve and play other types of games that have made me a more complete footballer.
02:45I hope they see a player that can play and have the ball but also attack as fast as a counter-attack.
02:58Like you say, you've got great technical qualities and also you've got that physicality too.
03:03Do you think your style will suit playing in the Premier League?
03:07I hope so because I'm really excited.
03:11I've always wanted to play in the Premier League.
03:13It's a dream to be here but also I think City is not a typical English team.
03:22They like to play a lot and I love that so I hope I enjoy it a lot.
03:29Talking of excitement, Nico, how much are you looking forward to linking up and playing with our midfield players in particular?
03:37Obviously, I really want to play and enjoy with the best midfielders in the world.
03:45I think when you play with these kinds of players, you become much better and you enjoy it even more.
03:53I really want to have the ball to play as much as we can together and hopefully we'll enjoy it and make the fans enjoy it so much.
04:04Was the chance to work with and learn from Pep also a really big factor in your decision?
04:10Obviously, for a lot of people, he's the best coach in the world and maybe even in history.
04:21Working with him, it's incredible.
04:26Everyone that I've talked to about him always talks so well about him.
04:33I think that with him, I can reach my full potential and become the best player I can be.
04:40Now, you come from a footballing family, Nico.
04:43Your dad, Fran, was a really, really famous player for Deportivo La CoruƱa.
04:48How much has he helped you in your career?
04:52Obviously, he's always helped me so much.
04:54He's always tried to take the best out of me and tried to advise me in everything he could.
05:02I think that has helped me a lot.
05:06It has helped me to make the right decisions when I went to leave some clubs.
05:12He always told me that to come here would be the best thing.
05:18Even a few years ago, he always said that he wished me to play here.
05:23Now, he's so happy and I'm proud.
05:26That's fantastic.
05:27Is it right, Nico, that your father was briefly a coach here at Manchester City?
05:32Yes, he was here for two years.
05:34That's why I just told you that he always recommended me to come here if I had the chance one day.
05:42He's always talked so well about Manchester City and obviously the team and everything around.
05:50Obviously, over the past couple of days, has he been able to give you any tips and advice about the club and about Manchester in general?
05:57Well, he's told me that I have to enjoy a lot here.
06:02I'll be so happy here in the city.
06:06He loved living here.
06:09Even I visited once and I really liked the city.
06:12About the club, he's told me that first thing, the people and the place, it's amazing.
06:22It's the best he's seen, so I think I'll enjoy it a lot.
06:28That's fantastic to hear.
06:29Just generally, Nico, what are your personal hopes and ambitions now that you've joined us?
06:35Well, I just told you before that for me, working here and being able to have all these teammates and working with such a coach,
06:46I'll try to be the best player I can to fulfil all my potential.
06:54Then obviously, I've just won two trophies in Porto and here I think I'll have the chance to win much more.
07:04Fantastic.
07:05And finally, Nico, do you have a message for the City fans?
07:09Yeah, I just want to thank them for the few hours that I've been a City player.
07:15I've felt so good and so welcomed and I just hope that I can give them back everything they're giving to me now.
07:25So I hope we can win many trophies together and enjoy.
07:32Well, listen, many, many congratulations again, Nico, and from everyone at City, the very best of luck.
07:37Thank you, sorry.