Manchester City‘s deadline-day signing, Nico González, will be ineligible to play in the Champions League knockout stages despite completing his transfer before the deadline. A little-known UEFA rule limits the number of new players that can be registered for the knockout phase, leaving one of City’s recent acquisitions on the sidelines.
Manchester City finalized the signing of Nico González from FC Porto for a reported £50 million on transfer deadline day. The 23-year-old Spanish midfielder, a product of Barcelona’s youth academy, is City’s fourth signing of the window, bringing their total summer spending to over £180 million.
González expressed his excitement about joining City and working under manager Pep Guardiola. His signing demonstrates City’s commitment to building a powerful team.
A rule restricts Champions League registration
While González is expected to make an immediate impact in the Premier League, his Champions League participation is uncertain due to a specific UEFA regulation. Only three additional players can be registered for the knockout stages compared to the squad that participated in the group stages. This rule remains in effect regardless of any players leaving the club, meaning Kyle Walker’s loan move to AC Milan doesn’t influence the situation.
With City having signed four new players this window (González, Vitor Reis, Omar Marmoush, and Abdukodir Khusanov), one player will be omitted from their Champions League squad. This player is likely to be 19-year-old Brazilian defender Vitor Reis.
Despite appearing on the bench in City’s last two matches since his arrival from Palmeiras, Reis is yet to make his debut. This suggests that he is behind other recent additions in the manager’s considerations.
The situation surrounding Vitor Reis contrasts sharply with the other new signings who have found themselves in the starting lineup or frequently used in matches. Omar Marmoush, arriving from Eintracht Frankfurt, has started in both games since his arrival, indicating a higher priority within the team.
Abdukodir Khusanov also made his debut against Chelsea. This highlights the manager’s choices and the competitive dynamics within the squad. The choices made by the manager give a better understanding of the current dynamics within the team.
Another new signing, 18-year-old defender Juma Bah, joined City from Real Valladolid amidst controversy, with Valladolid accusing City of advising Bah to break his contract. Bah has already been loaned to French side Lens for the remainder of the season and will therefore not be part of City’s Champions League squad.
This move highlights a different approach to integrating young players into the team and shows that the team might focus on developing their players in different environments before bringing them to the senior squad.
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