**Pep Guardiola**gave his thoughts on the development of Nico Gonzalez.
The Spanish midfielder signed for **Man City**from **Porto**in February 2025 for a fee of £50 million, stepping into the side as an extra option to help compensate for the long-term absence of Rodri. He played 11 times in the Premier League at the end of the 2024/25 campaign, helping the Citizens to reach the final of the **FA Cup**and end strong in the domestic division with a third placed finish.
**Rodri**remains on the road to recovery from his ACL injury, having suffered a setback against **Brentford**before the international break. Nico has now played seven of eight league fixtures this season to help manage minutes with his compatriot, from whom he can continue to learn a lot.
At only 23 years of age, Guardiola believes that Nico will keep growing in the company of a player who won the Ballon d’Or in 2024. With his commitment to continued development behind the scenes, he should be able to hit a higher ceiling sooner rather than later in the opinion of the manager.
“He’s getting better and better. So, it's not easy sometimes arrive in a new club, but we are really pleased in his behaviour and I'm pretty sure we'll be better and better month by month, year by year because it's incredible. He is so coachable, open-minded and he's a lovely guy and mom and dad has to be so proud him as a human being as a player and I had the feeling that every game he is better.
"He has to be himself. If you play with top players, you always learn if you are open [to it]. 'How can my game be better?' But Nico has to be Nico. Nico is fantastic, but just by his age he can get better."