In the upcoming summer transfer window, one of the positions that FC Barcelona are looking to strengthen is that of the left wing. The Catalans already have some good options to play in this position, but are still looking to get a reinforcement.
However, such an operation would be quite complex for the Blaugranes, as it would not only involve looking for a suitable target but also for a candidate from their own squad to be sold to raise the required funds.
As Mundo Deportivo has noted, there are three main targets that Barcelona have in mind for this purpose, i.e., Luis Diaz, Nico Williams, and Dani Olmo.
The Liverpool winger is the favorite of Barcelona Sporting Director, Deco, but the Portuguese official understands that signing him would not be possible without the sale of Raphinha, who is also valued very highly by the Catalans.
Luis Diaz has a high market value, but he will be a good replacement for Raphinha because both the players are of a similar age and are quite mature at a competitive level, while also being highly aggressive forwards. The Brazilian has several offers on the table, particularly from Saudi Arabia.
Nico Williams is also a very popular option at Barcelona, but he has the disadvantage of being significantly younger than Raphinha, and thus lacking the experience that Deco is looking for. Still, he is a very disruptive player, but is behind other candidates in terms of goalscoring, at least at this point in his career.
Furthermore, Barcelona will also have to pay his full €58 million release clause to be able to sign him, as Athletic Club would not agree to installments. Similarly, his salary would also be quite high as the Basque clubs usually offer high wages to retain their talented footballers, and Nico would be looking to further increase his wages with a move to the Catalan capital.
Deco is also concerned that if he chooses Nico, the Barcelona forward line will have two very young wingers, i.e., Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, who will be 17 and 21 years old respectively.
Lastly, Dani Olmo is also liked in the Blaugrana headquarters, mainly because of his versatility. However, is not as adept as the other two candidates in taking on opposition defenders, and his €60 million release clause is also expiring on July 15th.
Meanwhile, his early training at the Barcelona academy goes in his favor, while the Catalans also believe that RB Leipzig would allow them to pay for him in installments.
Before making a choice in this regard, Barcelona will also have to keep in mind the three wingers they already have in their squad, i.e., Ferran Torres, Ansu Fati, and Joao Felix, while also understanding that Lamine Yamal is the chosen one for the right-wing, and a new player will only be able to play on the left.
