CITY SPECIAL Nolito sets sights on return to Spain
NOLITO admits ‘nothing has been decided’ about his future at City but has reiterated his desire to return to Spain.
The 30-year-old initially made a bright start at the Etihad after his £13.8m move from Celta Vigo and was directly involved in seven goals in his first nine games for Pep Guardiola’s side.
But Nolito has only scored one goal since then, against Leicester in December, and has played just 24 minutes of league football in 2017.
And, although he has three years left on his contract with City, Nolito remains keen on a return to his homeland after previously likening Manchester’s weather to ‘living in a cave’.
“Right now I still belong to Manchester City and there is nothing decided,” he told a Spanish website.
“We will see what happens in the future. I would like to go back to Spain and hopefully I will be lucky.
“Right now I’m on vacation and I always like to be in Sanlúcar, quiet with my wife and my three girls, my family and my environment.”
Nolito, who has won 16 caps for Spain, will be keen to play regular club football as he looks to feature in the 2018 World Cup – if La Roja qualify as expected.
The forward has scored six goals in 30 appearances since joining City, having hit double figures in his final three seasons in Spain with Celta Vigo.
Following Ilkay Gundogan’s arrival, the forward was Guardiola’s second signing at the club. CITY raced out of the blocks. Just five days after the final game of the season, that glorious 5-0 win at Watford, Bernardo Silva completed his £43m move from Monaco.
Barely a week later, Benfica announced that Ederson had joined City for £35m – making him one of the most expensive goalkeepers of all time.
Now there is just the small matter of convincing Arsenal to part with Alexis Sanchez and wrapping up deals for four full-backs that will take the club’s spending to record levels.
But talk of a new centre-back joining skipper Vincent Kompany, John Stones, Nicolas Otamendi and youngster Tosin Adarabioyo has cooled of late.
Remarkably, this could be the first summer window since 2007 where City do not sign a centre-half, having spent £185.8m on eight different options in that time.
Some, like Matija Nastasic and Stefan Savic have gone on to prove themselves elsewhere; others, like Eliaquim Mangala, never lived up to their lofty fees.
Since two-time title winner Joleon Lescott left the club in 2014, City have spent £133.8m on finding a suitable replacement.
Stones will be that man – few would doubt his long-term credentials – but City’s defensive department still feels a little light.
With Bayern Munich’s Holger Badstuber having opted to join Schalke in January, Guardiola decided to stick with what he had.
And Kompany’s remarkable renaissance meant it was ultimately not an issue.