Barça Was Very Close to Signing Nico Williams Last Summer. The young winger from Athletic Club was one of the major priorities, and his profile fit perfectly into the club's sports project. However, economic limitations, and especially the strict salary cap imposed by La Liga, prevented the operation from being finalized.
Nico Ended Up Staying at San Mamés, Confirming His Commitment to Athletic, but without closing the door to a possible move in the future. From the Catalan club, it was conveyed that the intention was to try again later, once the financial situation improved. The operation seemed simply postponed, not discarded.
Barça Could Go Back for Nico This Summer
With the arrival of the next summer market, everything pointed to Barça resuming their interest in Nico Williams. The club still needs a pure winger, a game-changing player, vertical, and with a goal, characteristics that Nico more than fulfills. Additionally, his age, projection, and knowledge of the league made him an ideal option both in sports and as a future investment.
However, according to the newspaper Sport, Barça has decided to make a turn in their planning and definitively rule out the signing of the Spanish international. In the sports management, they consider that "Nico's train has already passed" and that now the focus should be on other team priorities. A decision that has caused surprise both in the player's environment and in part of the blaugrana locker room.
The Locker Room Would Be Upset
This change of stance has not gone unnoticed within the team. According to El Nacional, there is some discontent in the locker room with the decision, especially from Lamine Yamal, who keeps a close relationship with Nico.
Adding to this emotional context is the great end of the season that Nico Williams is having. The Athletic winger already has 11 goals and 7 assists, being one of the key pieces of Ernesto Valverde's team. His performance continues to grow, which makes his non-signing by Barça perceived as a missed opportunity.
Nico Williams, Very Close to a Definitive Goodbye
To make matters worse, it seems that redirecting the situation will be increasingly complicated. According to the same information, Arsenal is pushing hard to convince Nico for the next market. The English team offers him an ambitious project in the Premier and a leading role in their squad, something that appeals to the player's environment.
Barça, meanwhile, moves away from an operation that for months seemed a priority. If Nico finally ends up signing for another European giant, it will be inevitable to wonder if the Catalan club has made a strategic mistake. Time, as always, will give its verdict.