Barcelona are actively pursuing a move for Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams. The club has been trying in silence to convince the Spaniard to join them this summer but hasn’t received the green light from the player yet.
Journalist Fabrizio Romano revealed a couple of nights ago that Nico’s decision was imminent but has not come about yet. Barcelona are waiting for the player’s “yes” before triggering the release clause.
The player is expected to cost Barcelona around €58m, which is his release clause. The total operation might be around €64m-€65m when factoring in CPI (consumer price index). As per Mundo Deportivo, this would make Nico the most expensive operation of this transfer window so far.
Man Utd’s operation to sign Leny Yoro is the most expensive signing of the summer so far but there is still a month to go in the transfer window. If Barcelona sign Nico Williams, he would leapfrog Yoro to the first place.
Considering his potential and the ceiling that he has, this release clause seems like a fair price to pay for Nico. His exploits for La Roja in the recently concluded Euros are evidence that he can play on the biggest stage.
Premier League clubs have constantly broken the nine-figure barrier in the last couple of seasons but no such operations have taken place this summer. However, those clubs are likely to be active in the remaining months of the transfer window.
Romano has also confirmed that PSG are closing in on a €70m operation for Joao Neves from Benfica which is more advanced than Barcelona’s operation for Nico at the moment. If that deal goes through, then he would be the most expensive signing of the summer.
It doesn’t matter if Nico is the most expensive signing of the summer. All that matters is that Barcelona sign the 22-year-old and let’s hope they can do that very soon.
