Nico Williams's Main Desire for Next Season Is to Wear FC Barcelona's Jersey. Although last year he decided to stay at Athletic Club, his intention to join the Catalan club never changed. Certainly, the winger prioritized staying with the Basque team for one more season, aiming to play in the Europa League with his lifelong team and continue growing.
At that time, even after a brilliant European Championship with the Spanish national team, Nico Williams made it clear that if he ever left, he preferred to stay in La Liga. And among all the options he had — such as Real Madrid or clubs from the Premier League and the Bundesliga — FC Barcelona was always his first choice. Today, at 22 years old, he is ready to make the leap: his main goal is to join the Catalan club by any means possible and he already has a plan to achieve it.
Roadmap Drawn
Now, with another year of experience and the feeling that he needs to take the next step, Nico has made a decision: to leave Athletic. And to get closer to the club of his dreams, the Spanish winger is willing to make a great effort. According to the latest information, Nico is ready to lower his salary and accept a secondary role at Barça if it means having the opportunity to play at Camp Nou.
He knows he is no longer a priority as he was in the past market. The unexpectedly high performance of Raphinha and Ferran Torres has changed the plans of Joan Laporta and Deco. Moreover, Flick hasn't been a great advocate of his arrival due to his discreet performance this season, but Nico Williams doesn't give up.
No Rush to Sign Him
The reality is that his numbers don't help much: Nico has scored nine goals and provided seven assists in 39 matches. Figures that don't quite stand out for a player like Nico, who aims for the elite of European soccer. Flick values regularity and physical condition highly, and those doubts also weigh in the technical staff's evaluation.
Added to this is Barça's economic context, where any addition must be well justified. From the offices, Laporta and Deco don't completely rule out his incorporation, but they have put the matter on hold. There are other priorities on the agenda, and while they recognize Williams's talent, right now they aren't willing to make an effort for him at excessively high prices.