NICO WILLIAMS will EXCITE Barcelona and here is WHY 😱
Barcelona will buy one of the biggest Spanish talents of our time and this transfer will change the title race in La Liga!
Today, Fanatico will tell you why Barca have made the transfer of Nico Williams one of their top priorities for the summer and why it could be the move of the decade. Let's go!
Barca’s plan
Nico Williams has become one of the most desirable players in Spain over the past two years, so it's no secret that he has a line of European top clubs after him.
Young, talented, with great potential, but already with experience at the highest level - of course, as soon as Barcelona were able to fund this transfer, they immediately went for it.
Recently, the Spanish journalist Toni Juanmarti, who is one of the most reliable news sources when it comes to Barcelona, gave an insight into the club's summer transfer plans.
First, the Catalans are going to solve the problems with financial fair play to be able to spend all the money the club made. This shouldn't be a problem, because such a plan has been in place for a long time and has been discussed repeatedly.
After that, Xavi wants to buy a top defensive pivot as soon as possible. It should be either Kimmich or Zubimendi. This is the club's first priority for the summer.
But the number two priority is the signing of Nico Williams from Athletic Bilbao. Moreover, Barca are not entering the market to buy a left winger from some kind of shortlist. According to Juanmarti, this player must be Nico.
We will talk about why the Catalans decided to do so from a football point of view in the second half of the video, and now let's focus on the details of the upcoming transfer.
Firstly, multiple sources in Spain reported that Williams has a release clause of around 50-60 million euros. In today's circumstances, such a price for a young talented Spaniard seems extremely reasonable.
In addition, there is a chance that it will be possible to negotiate with the Basques and agree on a transfer for less money. There are levers for this. For example, Barcelona can offer bonuses for the player's individual and team trophies won and a percentage of the future transfer. If Athletic believe in their graduate, they can get even more than this release clause in the future.
Of course, there is a competition aspect. Not only Barcelona want Williams. There are many clubs that can not only easily afford to pay the release clause but also offer more money to the player himself.
Specifically, Arsenal and Chelsea want to sign Nico. But, according to Juanmarti, Williams himself wants to join Barcelona and is excited about the idea. In particular, it is known that Nico has a great relationship with Pau Cubarsi and Lamine Yamal. Having friends in the future club, especially for a young player, is an important factor in the transfer decision.
Friends, please like this video if you fancy the idea of Nico Williams joining Barcelona!
Speaking of money for the transfer, Barcelona also have a plan. It is currently known that without sales, the club will only be able to acquire one top player, and the priority will be a defensive pivot.
For Williams' transfer, they will need to sell. However, this is not a problem at all, as the sale of Frenkie De Jong alone can solve the matter. The Dutchman will obviously be put up for transfer. The issue is not his qualities, but the fact that his huge salary creates a hole in the club's finances.
The Catalans can also sell Ferran Torres, Raphinha, or even one of the pair of star centerbacks Kounde-Araujo for a lot of money. Fans need to understand that Nico's transfer will happen, but it will most likely have to wait until mid-summer for Barca to free up the necessary funds.
Perfect timing
Now, let's figure out why a move to Barca this summer is ideal for Williams in terms of both club and timing. It's not just about having friends there, although that's important.
Nico is very lucky to have been raised at Athletic because this club has been a great starting point for him. Williams is now playing his second full season in La Liga as a starter for his club.
He has played over 100 matches for Athletic and won his first trophy, the Copa del Rey. In Bilbao, Nico had the opportunity to play at the highest level without being under much pressure, as it would be in Real Madrid or Barcelona.
As for the stats, he has scored 19 goals and made 23 assists in 119 matches throughout his career. Nico produced the majority of these figures this season. In particular, he is currently the second-best assistant in La Liga with 10 assists, second only to Villarreal's Alex Baena.
Let's not forget that Nico made his debut for the Spanish national team a year and a half ago and has already played 13 matches for Furia Roja, scoring 2 goals and making 4 assists.
Athletic gave him a chance to experience the taste of trophies and gain important experience.