Nico Williams has been heavily linked with a move to Barcelona in recent days. The 22-year-old’s impressive displays for La Roja in the recently concluded European Championship has seen his stocks soar skywards.
Spain were the best team in the Euros by a stretch and deservedly won the title. One of their main protagonists was the Athletic Club winger, who along with Blaugrana wonderkid Lamine Yamal provided verticality like never before to the team.
Luis de la Fuente veered from the strict possession game that Spain used to play for all these years. Instead, he set the team to be more direct in their approach and this was largely aided by the two young wingers.
Nico scored two goals and provided one assist in six appearances for La Roja in the tournament. This included the goal to break the deadlock in the final against England which was assisted by Yamal.
According to journalist Alex Pintanel, Barcelona are confident of securing the signing of 22-year-old winger and consider his arrival ‘certain’ but there is a catch. For the deal to be completed, the Spanish club need to resolve their financial problems.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has revealed recently that they will be able to financially afford the signing of Nico Williams but the club is yet to return to the 1:1 rule. Yet, there is optimism in all the parties involved in this operation.
Hansi Flick is spearheading a new project at the Catalan club and is likely to bring his patented 4-2-3-1 formation with him. Having Yamal and Nico on either wing will give the Catalan side the same kind of verticality that the national side had in the Euros.
Nico is a superstar in the making. It’s a huge plus for us that he is willing to come to Barcelona and his adaptation might also be seamless with the likes of Balde, Yamal and Fermin to help him out. As days go by, it increasingly looks like Barcelona will manage his signing this summer and let’s hope we get this deal over the line soon.