Discover all five players who played for both Manchester City and Porto with career stats and stories featuring Otamendi, Danilo and Nico González.
The connection is relatively recent. All five represented Porto during the 21st century before joining Manchester City’s increasingly ambitious project. Four arrived in England as established players, while González became the first to move directly between the clubs since Mangala and Fernando in 2014.
This list only counts competitive appearances for the two senior first teams. Erik Palmer-Brown played for Porto B and later belonged to Manchester City but never represented City’s first team. Seko Fofana and Oscar Bobb also fail to meet the same criteria.
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FC Porto and Manchester City Players: Career Stats
| Player | FC Porto period | Apps | Goals | Manchester City period | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicolás Otamendi | 2010–2014 | 125 | 10 | 2015–2020 | 210 | 11 |
| Fernando | 2008–2014 | 237 | 6 | 2014–2017 | 102 | 4 |
| Danilo | 2012–2015 | 138 | 12 | 2017–2019 | 60 | 4 |
| Eliaquim Mangala | 2011–2014 | 95 | 13 | 2014–2019 | 79 | 0 |
| Nico González | 2023–2025 | 68 | 9 | 2025–2026 | 59 | 4 |
Statistics cover senior competitive matches in all competitions. Assist totals are excluded because historical data providers use different criteria.
1. Nicolás Otamendi
Nicolás Otamendi had the longest and most successful Manchester City career of the five players.
The Argentine centre-back joined Porto from Vélez Sarsfield in 2010 and scored an impressive 10 goals in 125 appearances. He won three Primeira Liga titles, the Taça de Portugal and the 2010/11 Europa League before leaving for Valencia in 2014.
Manchester City signed Otamendi from the Spanish club one year later. After an occasionally difficult introduction to English football, he became an important part of Pep Guardiola’s defence.
His best campaign came in 2017/18. Otamendi made 34 Premier League appearances, scored four league goals and was selected in the PFA Team of the Year as City became the first English top-flight team to reach 100 points.
One of his most memorable moments was the winning goal against Manchester United at Old Trafford in December 2017. The 2-1 victory extended City’s winning run to 14 league matches and opened an 11-point lead at the top.
Otamendi left Manchester in 2020 after recording 210 appearances and 11 goals. He won two Premier League titles, four League Cups and one FA Cup with the club.
2. Fernando
Known as “The Octopus” because of his ability to recover possession, Fernando Francisco Reges was a central figure during one of Porto’s strongest modern periods.
Fernando joined Porto in 2007 but spent his first season on loan at Estrela da Amadora. After returning, he established himself as the defensive foundation of the midfield and accumulated 237 competitive appearances.
His Porto trophy collection included four Primeira Liga titles, three Portuguese Cups, four Portuguese Super Cups and the 2010/11 Europa League. He protected the defence while allowing Porto’s more adventurous midfielders and full-backs to move forward.
Manchester City signed Fernando for approximately £12 million in 2014. He never became an automatic starter, partly because of competition from Fernandinho and Yaya Touré, but he still made 102 appearances across three seasons.
Fernando helped City win the 2015/16 League Cup and featured during the club’s first run to a Champions League semi-final. He left for Galatasaray in 2017 before enjoying another successful spell with Sevilla, where he won the Europa League twice.
3. Danilo
Danilo Luiz da Silva spent three and a half seasons with Porto after arriving from Santos in January 2012.
Playing mainly at right-back, he formed an outstanding partnership with Alex Sandro on the opposite side of Porto’s defence. Danilo combined speed and technical quality with the ability to move into midfield or contribute in the final third.
He scored 12 times in 138 competitive appearances and won consecutive Primeira Liga titles. Porto subsequently sold him to Real Madrid for €31.5 million in 2015.
Danilo arrived at Manchester City two years later. Although Kyle Walker limited his opportunities at right-back, the Brazilian remained useful because he could operate on either flank and occasionally in central defence.
His four City goals included an excellent long-range strike against Burnley at Turf Moor.
Danilo’s dazzler at Burnley! 🚀
— Manchester City (@ManCity) July 19, 2018
Danilo made 60 appearances and won two Premier League titles with Manchester City. He also contributed during the historic 2018/19 campaign in which Guardiola’s team completed England’s domestic treble.
In 2019, he joined Juventus as part of the deal that brought João Cancelo to Manchester.
4. Eliaquim Mangala
Eliaquim Mangala was one of Europe’s most highly rated young centre-backs during his time at Porto.
The French defender joined from Standard Liège in 2011. Strong in the air and unusually quick for his size, he became a regular during the following campaign and helped Porto win two consecutive league titles.
Mangala was also a significant threat from set pieces, scoring 13 goals in 95 appearances. His three goals during Porto’s 2013/14 Europa League run included a brace against Eintracht Frankfurt and the winner in a quarter-final first leg against eventual champions Sevilla.
Manchester City signed him in 2014 for an initial fee reported at £31.8 million. His debut against Chelsea was excellent, but inconsistent performances and injuries prevented him from fully establishing himself.
Mangala nevertheless made 79 appearances for Manchester City. He was involved in the 2015/16 League Cup campaign and made nine league appearances during City’s 2017/18 title-winning season.
He also spent periods on loan at Valencia and Everton before leaving Manchester permanently in 2019.
5. Nico González
Nico González is the most recent player to represent both clubs and the only member of the list who moved directly from Porto to Manchester City after 2014.
A graduate of Barcelona’s academy, González joined Porto in 2023. His first season was promising rather than spectacular, but he developed into a more complete midfielder during the opening half of 2024/25.
He finished his Porto career with 68 appearances, nine goals and nine assists. Manchester City subsequently activated his €60 million release clause in February 2025 as the club looked for additional midfield cover.
Porto introduced the midfielder to its supporters with this social post after completing his transfer from Barcelona:
González made 59 appearances and scored four goals during his 18 months in Manchester. He could operate as a defensive midfielder or carry the ball forward, although he never secured a permanent place in City’s strongest starting XI.
In August 2026, González completed a move to Newcastle United for a reported £52 million. According to Reuters, he signed a long-term contract and took the number six shirt at St James’ Park.
The transfer allowed Manchester City to recover roughly the amount paid to Porto despite González’s relatively short stay.
Who Was the Best Player for Both Clubs?
Otamendi has the strongest overall case. He was a major trophy winner at Porto and later became an important defender for one of Manchester City’s greatest teams.
Fernando enjoyed the most decorated Porto career, while Danilo collected an exceptional range of trophies across Europe. Mangala never consistently fulfilled expectations in Manchester, and González departed before reaching his peak.
What connects all five is Porto’s ability to prepare players for a higher-value move. Manchester City did not receive the same level of success from every signing, but Otamendi, Fernando, Danilo, Mangala and González each contributed to an enduring link between the two clubs.
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