Barcelona Sets a Strategy to Sign Nico Williams

Nico Williams’ shining performance has turned him into a target for numerous major European clubs. However, Barcelona holds certain advantages in the race to sign the Bilbao winger, and the Catalan club has already mapped out a “roadmap” for his recruitment. Nico Williams has been on Barcelona’s radar since last year when he finished the 2022/23 season with 9 goals and 6 assists for Bilbao. Yet in January 2023, the 21-year-old unexpectedly signed a new contract extending to 2027 with the Basque team, which cooled the interest from other clubs.

However, Nico Williams continues to be a hot commodity, displaying explosive form this season. With an assist in the Copa del Rey final against Mallorca, he has contributed to 20 goals in the 2023/24 season (6 goals, 14 assists). According to Diario Sport, Barcelona has resumed its pursuit of the Spanish international.

To secure one of Spain’s most promising young talents, Barcelona will have to compete with Chelsea, Tottenham, and Aston Villa. However, Barcelona has more advantages compared to these rivals. First, Nico Williams still wants to play in La Liga. Especially with Real Madrid set to welcome Kylian Mbappe, Camp Nou would be the most sensible destination for him.

Another advantage is that Nico Williams’ contract release clause is only 50 million euros. This figure is quite reasonable for Barcelona’s currently tight budget, and it practically serves as an invitation to the wealthy English clubs. However, as mentioned above, the player’s immediate priority is to continue playing in Spain.

Nico has never hidden his two dreams: to win a title with Bilbao and to play in the Champions League. The first dream has already been realized as he recently won the Copa del Rey with his team. The second dream is also within reach, with Bilbao currently only two points away from fourth place in La Liga.

Moreover, Nico no longer owes Bilbao anything. His decision to extend his contract early last year ensured that the Basque club would not lose him for free. Therefore, once he fulfills his second dream, he could choose a new destination.

At Camp Nou, Barcelona has already planned a strategy to pave the way for the upcoming star. They will allow Nico to continue his contributions to Bilbao next season. Afterward, they plan to bring 50 million euros to the Basque Country to sign the Ghanaian-born player in the summer transfer window of 2025.

Nico Outshines All Barcelona WingersThis season, Nico Williams has been more impressive than all of Barcelona’s wingers. The Spanish international has been involved in 20 goals across all competitions for Bilbao (6 goals, 14 assists). Meanwhile, Ferran Torres has 15 (11 goals, 4 assists), Joao Felix has 15 (9 goals, 6 assists), Raphinha is slightly better with 16 (6 goals, 10 assists), and the prodigy Lamine Yamal has contributed to 13 (6 goals, 7 assists).