FC Barcelona has been working for months to strengthen its squad. Deco and Laporta's priority was clear: to find a winger who could compete equally with Lamine Yamal and Raphinha. The goal was not just to have substitutes, but a top-level player who would elevate the collective level.
Hansi Flick, meanwhile, had approved this profile from the very beginning. He considered it essential to have a third destabilizing winger, capable of maintaining offensive intensity in every match. Especially in a calendar full of matches like the one Barça will face next season.
A Signing Agreed Upon by Everyone... But That Won't Arrive
Barça's sports management had gotten to work. The chosen one was liked by the coaching staff, the offices, and especially in the locker room. His arrival was going to generate healthy competition and, moreover, strengthened a very close bond with the team's current two wingers.
Lamine Yamal and Raphinha consider him more than just a teammate. For them, he is a friend on and off the field. Both dreamed of sharing the attack at Camp Nou, but the story has ended differently.
As has happened in other operations, financial Fair Play has been the main obstacle. Barça has not managed to make room in the wage bill. The necessary departures did not occur, and that forced the freezing of the most desired signing by the locker room.
The non-departure of Ferran Torres or Ansu Fati closed the door to new additions. The club has been unable to maneuver. Meanwhile, other teams have been able to act more quickly.
A Premier Giant Takes the Lead
Silently, a Premier League club has been gaining ground. The conditions were more favorable, and the sports project convinced the player's entourage. The coach of that team has offered him minutes, leadership, and a prominence that Barça could not guarantee.
The player, who was willing to wait, has chosen to take a step forward. He could not afford another summer full of uncertainty. This time he has said yes.
The English club is willing to pay his clause. It has financial muscle and salary margin. Moreover, its squad needs exactly the profile that this player offers.
The agreement is very advanced, and only a few details are missing. The operation will be closed in the coming weeks. From Barça, they already assume that a strategic reinforcement has slipped away.
The Locker Room Regrets It: A Beloved Profile Leaves
In the locker room, especially Lamine Yamal and Raphinha, the news has not been well received. He was one of their own. A player with whom they dreamed of sharing the wing, jokes, goals, and celebrations.
Both have maintained a close relationship with him. They had even spoken with Flick to support his signing. But soccer takes many turns, and this time the destination has not been Barcelona.
The player we are talking about is none other than Nico Williams. The Athletic Club winger has decided to accept Liverpool's proposal, a team that has been following him for months. At Anfield, they consider him the ideal heir to Luis Díaz, and Klopp has given the green light to his arrival.
Nico is going to the Premier League, leaving behind the option of Barça. His connection with Yamal and Raphinha was real, but time has played against the culé team. While in Bilbao they already assume his departure, at Camp Nou there is only resignation left.