Manchester City have beaten Barcelona to the signing of Nolito, with the forward choosing to work under Pep Guardiola again after previously doing so at the Catalan club.
Nolito, 29, was given his Barça debut by Guardiola in the 2010-11 season when the Spaniard was in charge at the Camp Nou. Barcelona were intent on taking him back to the club, whom he opted to leave to join Benfica in 2011, before moving to Celta Vigo in 2013. But in an indicator of Guardiola’s attraction it is understood that Nolito decided to join City from Celta instead, the club triggering his release clause of around £14m and the player agreeing a four-year contract.
Guardiola is also targeting the Ukrainian forward Oleksandr Zinchenko, who plays for Ufa in Russia. If the 19-year-old, who became Ukraine’s youngest ever scorer with a goal against Romania in May, is added to Guardiola’s squad he is likely to be loaned out.
Nolito becomes Guardiola’s second major signing as City coach, following Ilkay Gündogan. Nolito said: “I’m very fortunate that it was he who handed me my debut at Barcelona. I know him a little, I was with him for a short while whenever he got me to train with the first team or included me in the playing squad. I think that Pep Guardiola is one of the best managers in the world. He knows a lot about the game and he’s going to help me progress as a player and I’m sure he’ll get the best out of me.”
Txiki Begiristain, who was Barça’s director of football for most of his time at the club, will be another familiar face. Nolito said: “It was a really satisfying feeling when I heard of City’s and Pep’s interest in me, and also that of Txiki. It’s something I’m really excited about and so here we are.”
Nolito started all of Spain’s matches at Euro 2016 and scored against Turkey in the 3-0 group game win.
Of his ambitions at City, Nolito, who will wear the No9 shirt, said: “I hope to perform well when I get the chance to feature and to be amongst the goals of course. Let’s hope that I can score whenever I make my debut, but firstly that we win the game. That would then be the dream debut and the perfect start.”
He also pointed to the influence of his grandparents, who raised him. “I was brought up by my grandfather and grandmother, they helped to educate me and they provided everything they possibly could for me. For that I am really proud of them and grateful for all they have done and continue to do for me. My grandfather was like a father to me and it was he who bought me my first football.
“They really are a motivation to me, because when you think back to going through more difficult times, by comparison now life is a lot easier. I remember that my grandad was just like a father to me and that he always used to take me along to training and pay my subs as a kid to the local teams in my town when he had to. You never forget stuff like that.
“I’m from Sanlúcar de Barrameda, a town in the south of Spain. From as far back as I can remember I’ve always loved playing football. It’s been the same right through until today.”
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