Gennaro Gattuso has never been one for shying away from an issue and with speculation surrounding on loan Barcelona midfielder Nico Gonzalez, he addressed the issue head on.
The Valencia manager was speaking ahead of his side’s local derby with Elche, where Los Che will look to continue their good home record, having won all but one of their ties at Mestalla.
Increasingly Nico has not been a part of that though, with the 20-year-old struggling for game time. Nico has been the least used of Valencia’s midfielders this season and was left out of their squad for their last match against Valencia.
It has led to some reports of Barcelona being unhappy with his lack of minutes and considering trying to end the loan deal in January.
Gattuso told Sport that it was the first he was hearing of it.
“Nico has never come to me to speak about his situation.”
“It is the first time I am hearing something about him, he has a contract to play for a year with us. The boy is training very well and he is a good professional.”
If Barcelona are hoping to regain Nico for serious first-team minutes, they might be able to do so. Should their potential wish to bring him back be purely based on his lack of minutes, it may even help him more to fight for and win his place under Gattuso.
