# Nolito
**Nolito** is the nickname of Manuel Agudo Durán (born 1986 in [Sanlúcar de Barrameda](https://www.edgepedia.org/sanlucar-de-barrameda), Spain), a retired Spanish footballer who played as a left winger for Barcelona, Benfica, Celta Vigo, Manchester City, Sevilla, Granada, and [UD Ibiza](https://www.edgepedia.org/ud-ibiza), and won 16 caps for Spain. He retired on 13 September 2023, aged nearly 37.[1](https://www.11v11.com/players/nolito-237138/) • [2](https://www.fcbarcelona.com/en/football/barca-legends/players/4246243/nolito)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name / born | Manuel Agudo Durán, 1986, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Spain[1](https://www.11v11.com/players/nolito-237138/) |
| Position | Left winger; 1.75 m, right-footed[3](https://www.transfermarkt.com/vergleich/spielervergleich/statistik/def/spieler/70934%26195171/sort/einsatzzeit.desc) |
| Career totals | 516 club appearances, 127 goals, including 243 La Liga games with 60 goals[5](https://www.transfermarkt.com.br/nolito/leistungsdaten/spieler/70934) |
| Highest market value | €18.00 million (Transfermarkt, last update 13/09/2023)[3](https://www.transfermarkt.com/vergleich/spielervergleich/statistik/def/spieler/70934%26195171/sort/einsatzzeit.desc) |
| Major honors | UEFA Europa League with Sevilla (2020); Portuguese League Cup with Benfica; La Liga with Barcelona (2011)[2](https://www.fcbarcelona.com/en/football/barca-legends/players/4246243/nolito) |
| Retirement | 13 September 2023, after one season with UD Ibiza[5](https://www.transfermarkt.com.br/nolito/leistungsdaten/spieler/70934) |
## Barcelona and Benfica
Nolito joined [FC Barcelona](https://www.edgepedia.org/fc-barcelona) in 2008 after two strong seasons with Écija, beginning with [Luis Enrique](https://www.edgepedia.org/luis-enrique)'s Barcelona Athletic (Barça B), where he became a key starter and made 107 appearances scoring 29 goals. He earned a first-team debut under [Pep Guardiola](https://www.edgepedia.org/pep-guardiola) in a league match against Mallorca and played five official games for the senior side, scoring once in the Copa del Rey against Ceuta; he was part of the squad that won the 2010–11 La Liga title.[2](https://www.fcbarcelona.com/en/football/barca-legends/players/4246243/nolito) Guardiola struggled to find a role for him in the first team, and he left for Benfica in 2011.[6](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/transfers/manchester-city-transfer-news-nolito-pep-guardiola-isnt-the-answer-important-piece-jigsaw-a7114016.html)
At Benfica he won the Portuguese League Cup.[2](https://www.fcbarcelona.com/en/football/barca-legends/players/4246243/nolito) A 2016 report in *AS* later described how Guardiola, then at Barcelona, had pressed hardest for the club to keep Nolito from joining Benfica, but the Portuguese offer outweighed what Barcelona could pay.[7](https://as.com/us/us/2016/08/05/futbol/1470404538_767458.html)
## Celta Vigo and the 2016 move to Manchester City
Luis Enrique, who had coached Nolito at Barcelona B, signed him for Celta Vigo in 2013, where the forward developed into a consistently dangerous attacker with an explosive burst of pace and a powerful right foot. In the first half of the 2015–16 season he was arguably the best player in [La Liga](https://www.edgepedia.org/la-liga) outside the big three clubs, and Enrique tried to sign him for Barcelona a third time in January 2016; the deal never happened.[6](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/transfers/manchester-city-transfer-news-nolito-pep-guardiola-isnt-the-answer-important-piece-jigsaw-a7114016.html)
In July 2016 Nolito joined Manchester City, reuniting with Guardiola, who had reserved the number 9 shirt for him.[7](https://as.com/us/us/2016/08/05/futbol/1470404538_767458.html) Reported fees differ between accounts: The Independent cited £13 million, Sporting News £16.2 million ($22.2 million), and FourFourTwo £14 million.[6](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/transfers/manchester-city-transfer-news-nolito-pep-guardiola-isnt-the-answer-important-piece-jigsaw-a7114016.html) • [8](https://www.sportingnews.com/ca/soccer/news/my-daughters-face-changed-colour-how-nolito-went-from-peps-perfect-transfer-to-his-worst-man-city-signing/pxdc2qw8exnp160oxmf9fgvl4) • [9](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/team/every-notable-manchester-city-signing-of-the-115-charges-era) He was 29 at the time, old for a winger reliant on pace making his biggest career move.[8](https://www.sportingnews.com/ca/soccer/news/my-daughters-face-changed-colour-how-nolito-went-from-peps-perfect-transfer-to-his-worst-man-city-signing/pxdc2qw8exnp160oxmf9fgvl4)
His Premier League stint lasted one season: 19 league appearances (9 starts, 10 as substitute) with 4 goals, plus 5 Champions League appearances with 2 goals.[1](https://www.11v11.com/players/nolito-237138/) FourFourTwo records that he is the only player signed under Guardiola at City who did not win a trophy there.[9](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/team/every-notable-manchester-city-signing-of-the-115-charges-era) He left just over a year after arriving, joining Sevilla for £6.3 million ($8.5 million).[8](https://www.sportingnews.com/ca/soccer/news/my-daughters-face-changed-colour-how-nolito-went-from-peps-perfect-transfer-to-his-worst-man-city-signing/pxdc2qw8exnp160oxmf9fgvl4)
## Sevilla, return to Celta, and later career
At Sevilla Nolito won the [UEFA Europa League](https://www.edgepedia.org/uefa-europa-league) in 2020.[2](https://www.fcbarcelona.com/en/football/barca-legends/players/4246243/nolito) His league minutes there were limited, and a leg fracture cost him five months of action.[10](https://www.squawka.com/en/features/la-liga-underperformers-no-longer-underperforming/) In 2020 he returned to Celta Vigo through an emergency transfer process that allows La Liga clubs to sign a player outside the usual window to replace an injured squad member. He scored and assisted on his debut, and after a slow start to 2020–21, new coach Eduardo Coudet revived his form, with three goals in his first four games under the new manager.[10](https://www.squawka.com/en/features/la-liga-underperformers-no-longer-underperforming/)
He finished his career with UD Ibiza in 2022–23 and announced his retirement on 13 September 2023.[2](https://www.fcbarcelona.com/en/football/barca-legends/players/4246243/nolito) • [5](https://www.transfermarkt.com.br/nolito/leistungsdaten/spieler/70934)
## Spain
Nolito earned 16 caps and scored 6 goals for Spain between his debut against Germany in November 2014 and a final appearance against England in November 2016.[4](https://rfef.es/es/selecciones/jugadores/nolito) • [1](https://www.11v11.com/players/nolito-237138/) Spain won the group before losing to Italy in the round of 16.[1](https://www.11v11.com/players/nolito-237138/)
## References
1. [Nolito Football Player Statistics, 11v11.com](https://www.11v11.com/players/nolito-237138/)
2. [Nolito, FC Barcelona Barça Legends](https://www.fcbarcelona.com/en/football/barca-legends/players/4246243/nolito)
3. [Player comparison Nolito / Samu Castillejo, Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.com/vergleich/spielervergleich/statistik/def/spieler/70934%26195171/sort/einsatzzeit.desc)
4. [Nolito, Real Federación Española de Fútbol](https://rfef.es/es/selecciones/jugadores/nolito)
5. [Nolito – Total dados desempenho, Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.com.br/nolito/leistungsdaten/spieler/70934)
6. [Manchester City transfer news: Nolito isn't the answer, but he's an important piece in Pep Guardiola's jigsaw, The Independent](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/transfers/manchester-city-transfer-news-nolito-pep-guardiola-isnt-the-answer-important-piece-jigsaw-a7114016.html)
7. [La historia detrás de un 'No', AS](https://as.com/us/us/2016/08/05/futbol/1470404538_767458.html)
8. [How Nolito went from Pep's perfect transfer to his worst Man City signing, Sporting News](https://www.sportingnews.com/ca/soccer/news/my-daughters-face-changed-colour-how-nolito-went-from-peps-perfect-transfer-to-his-worst-man-city-signing/pxdc2qw8exnp160oxmf9fgvl4)
9. [Every notable Manchester City signing of the 115 charges era, FourFourTwo](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/team/every-notable-manchester-city-signing-of-the-115-charges-era)
10. [La Liga's "underperformers" who are no longer underperforming, Squawka](https://www.squawka.com/en/features/la-liga-underperformers-no-longer-underperforming/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football people and teams › People › Men's footballers of continental Europe › Spanish footballers born before 1995 › Spanish footballers born 1980–1989*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license