Barça is about to finalize Nico Williams's signing. According to the club's forecasts, the winger will become a new blaugrana player between July 1 and 2, dates when Barça will pay his release clause (cláusula).
The player has shown willingness to make the move to Barça, and the club is working with maximum discretion to finalize all the details. Nico is expected to be a key piece in Hansi Flick's new project. His speed, dribbling, and youth fit perfectly with the offensive profile Barça is looking for to strengthen its wings.
The signing will be made at the start of the new fiscal year
One of the reasons why Barça has set July 1 or 2 as the date is strictly accounting-related. The club wants Nico Williams's transfer to be included in the new financial year, which begins precisely on July 1. This way, the payment of the release clause (cláusula) won't affect the current fiscal year, which ends on June 30.
From the perspective of the wage bill, it's essential for the operation to be accounted for in the next year, since that allows greater flexibility to register the player.
Nico already has a jersey number
Barça's internal planning is so advanced that a jersey number may have already been assigned to Nico Williams. According to journalist Adrià Regàs, the Spanish international winger could wear number 17.
The fact that jersey numbers and placements within the team are already being discussed is clear proof that the signing is practically finalized. The technical staff and the sporting management have complete confidence, and everything indicates that Nico will be presented as a new blaugrana player in the first days of July.
Marc Casadó would switch to 14
This restructuring of jersey numbers will also affect other first-team players. According to the same information from Regàs, Marc Casadó would switch to number 14, a number with history at the club that has been worn by Cruyff, Henry, or Mascherano. It's a symbolic number that could mark a new role for Casadó within the team.