Nico González conspicuously absent from Barcelona’s US tour

Nico González is the main missing man from FC Barcelona’s US tour squad list. As had been reported before, Xavi had told him he should look for a loan to continue to get experience.

With the signings of İlkay Gündoğan and Oriol Romeu, it seems there’s no room for Nico in the center of the pitch.

He spent last season on loan at Valencia, but it is understood they are not in the mix to get him on loan again. As of now, it seems FC Porto are considered the favorites to land him.

A loan with an option to buy is what’s being rumored, and it now depends on Barça and the Portuguese club to come to an agreement as to the value of that purchase clause.

It didn’t make sense for the Galician to travel with the Catalans for the tour when it was already known he’d be leaving on loan. For that reason, he has received permission to look for his next opportunity instead.