The news has come as a cold shower for Barça's inner circle. Nico Williams has renewed his contract with Athletic Club until 2035, definitively frustrating one of the main targets of the transfer market. At Can Barça, his signing was taken for granted.
The disappointment is significant among Barça's sporting leadership. With Nico, they aimed to add verticality, unpredictability, and youth to an attacking front that needs alternatives. He was a priority player for Hansi Flick and for the entire sporting management.
Only four forwards available in the squad
With Nico's refusal, the situation in the culé attack has become even more concerning. As of today, Barça only have four strikers to face a long and demanding season: Ferran Torres, Lewandowski, Raphinha, and Lamine Yamal. It's a very short squad in a key area of the field, especially considering that injuries and fixture congestion are inevitable.
The lack of depth in attack is now one of the main problems to solve for the coaching staff and the club's sporting management.
Ferran Torres targeted by Aston Villa
As if that weren't enough, Barça could lose one of those few available forwards. Ferran Torres has attracted interest from Aston Villa, managed by Unai Emery. According to the Madrid-Barcelona portal, the English side would be willing to make an offer close to €40 million for the Spanish international.
The proposal is not only financially attractive for Barça, which needs income, but also for the player himself. Ferran hasn't always been a starter in Barcelona, and a change of scenery with more prominence could be tempting for him.
Barça need Ferran to stay
From the club, the stance is that they don't want any more departures in attack. With only four forwards available, losing Ferran would be a very hard blow for Flick. The Valencian has shown commitment and is a versatile profile who can play in different positions.
However, if Aston Villa keep insisting and improve their offer both financially and in sporting terms, Ferran could start to push for an exit. The situation is concerning, and in the offices they already know that, if they don't act, they could be left without one of the few options they have left up front. The summer is proving more complicated than desired.