Nico Gonzalez signs new contract with Barcelona as loan to Valencia is confirmed | OneFootball

Nico Gonzalez has left Barcelona on loan to join Valencia, as has been made official by both clubs on Saturday morning.

On Wednesday Nico arrived in Valencia and explained that he was joining Valencia in order to play more regularly, as competition for places ramps up in Catalonia.

Simultaneously Barcelona announced that Nico had signed a new contract with the Blaugrana running until 2026. His release clause is set at €1bn. The 20-year-old’s deal was expiring in 2024, but Barcelona did not want his loan deal to finish with Nico only having a year left on his deal.

With Miralem Pjanic remaining at Barcelona this summer, Nico has clearly decided his opportunities will be limited. There has been some debate about whether Barcelona should be giving a rotational role to a veteran like Pjanic rather than trusting their La Masia product.

Nico, schooled in that fashion, should help new Valencia manager Gennaro Gattuso to implement his new style of football at Mestalla. He will also help to replace the gap left by Ilaix Moriba, who was a regular in the second half of last season.