Barcelona set to receive €1.9m from Nico Gonzalez’s move to Newcastle

Barcelona are due to receive €1.9m through FIFA’s solidarity mechanism after Nico Gonzalez completed a move from Manchester City to Newcastle in a deal worth up to €56m, plus a possible €4.6m in add-ons.

The payment is linked to Barcelona’s role in developing the Spain midfielder during his formative years. According to Portuguese newspaper O Jogo, the Catalan club will receive the money under FIFA’s solidarity programme, which allocates 5% of a player’s transfer fee to the clubs involved in their training between the ages of 12 and 23.

Barcelona are reported to have secured the largest share of the payment because Gonzalez spent much of his development at the club. He later moved to Valencia on loan before joining Porto on a permanent basis.

Porto will receive €560,000 from the solidarity distribution, while Valencia are due €280,000, according to the Portuguese report.

The latest payment takes the total income Barcelona have generated from Gonzalez’s transfers since his departure from the club to €25.4m. Barcelona received €8.5m when he joined Porto, followed by €15m from his transfer to Manchester City and now the additional €1.9m from FIFA’s solidarity mechanism.

Gonzalez has continued to move between major European clubs, with Newcastle now choosing to sign the midfielder as he begins another stage of a career that remains highly regarded.

Manchester City, meanwhile, have directed their investment towards Newcastle midfielder Ayoub Bouaddi, for whom they are reported to have paid €100m. The English club also remain interested in Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez.

City had been looking to strengthen their defensive midfield options following Rodri’s departure for Barcelona in a transfer worth about €60m. Bouaddi has consequently emerged as one of the club’s new solutions in that position, while their pursuit of Fernandez continues.

Gonzalez began his career in Barcelona’s youth system before spending time at Valencia on loan. He joined Porto permanently in the summer of 2023 and spent one and a half seasons with the Portuguese club before moving to Manchester City in January 2025.

Since joining City, Gonzalez has played 59 matches and scored four goals.

He came on as a substitute for the final 11 minutes of Manchester City’s Community Shield match against Arsenal and remained on the bench for their opening fixture against Bournemouth.

Manchester City won that match 2-1 against Bournemouth, while Newcastle drew 2-2 with Liverpool.