When Pep Guardiola is willing to christen someone as “a mini Rodri”, then you know a midfielder is high-class.Nico Gonzalez may never have quite justified that lofty tag at Manchester City, and may even be surplus to requirements at the Etihad now, but he could still prove to be a mood-shifting addition for Newcastle United, should they conclude a deal.Following a summer of upheaval and of primarily signing youngsters with potential, Nico represents an entirely different profile — the Spaniard is an established top-level operator, even if he is only 24 and was only a bit-part player in Manchester last season.One proven signing alone would not transform the narrative around a club which has lost so many of its touchstones this summer, leading the more sceptical supporters to question Newcastle’s present direction and their long-term ambitions, albeit Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Liverpool offered an encouraging start to the new era. Yet should Nico — who theoretically would improve many sides across Europe — be willing to move to St James’ Park permanently as he enters what should be his prime years, that would suggest he has been sold an encouraging vision for the future by Newcastle.(Carl Recine/Getty Images)This also demonstrates a further show of faith in Matthias Jaissle by the hierarchy, who they are fully backing to deliver upon the “Newcastle United 2.0” vision of David Hopkinson, the CEO. Newcastle agreed to pay around €10million (£8.6m, $11.6m) to extract Jaissle from his Al Ahli contract, have spent up to £30m to sign Amar Dedic, a right-back the head coach knew well, and they are now acting upon his pleas for a more seasoned operator in midfield by committing what will be their most expensive fee of the window (around £47m, plus £4m in add-ons) on Nico.Having assessed the squad he inherited upon arriving at Newcastle’s training camp in La Manga, Spain, earlier this month, Jaissle identified a controlling midfielder as a priority. For Newcastle to be able to successfully execute his philosophy this season, Jaissle deemed such an addition essential, and clearly communicated that to the hierarchy.There had been a determination to conclude a midfield signing before Newcastle’s Premier League opener against Liverpool but the deal dragged on beyond the weekend and now the hope is that Nico can be in the squad for Saturday’s trip to Tottenham.Marseille’s Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Bayern Munich’s Joao Palhinha, who are both 31, were targeted due to their significant experience and leadership credentials. Newcastle could not advance with either deal and, although injecting a veteran into a youthful squad would have been beneficial, both would also have been short-to-medium-term solutions.