Barcelona is really pushing to sign Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams this summer. It seems like the club has already sorted out personal terms with the 22-year-old. This is a big step, but there’s still a pretty big financial hurdle to clear. Barcelona doesn’t see Williams’ €60 million release clause as an issue for the transfer fee itself. However, registering him in La Liga is the real challenge.
Getting Nico Williams to Camp Nou
It’s all systems go for Barcelona on the player side. They’ve apparently reached a verbal agreement with Nico Williams, and he’s made it clear he wants to come to Camp Nou. He even turned down a new, lucrative deal from Athletic Bilbao.
Williams has been on the radar of other big clubs too, like Arsenal, Liverpool, and Bayern Munich, but Barca is his priority. His close bond with Spain teammate Lamine Yamal seems to be a big draw for him. Athletic Bilbao sources, who spoke anonymously, kind of accept he’s leaving. This move will probably make the relationship between the two clubs even more strained, apparently.
The Salary Cap Headache
So, while paying the €60 million (or around €62 million with inflation) release clause isn’t seen as a problem, Barcelona still needs to create space in their wage budget. This is a pretty common story for Barca, honestly. La Liga has these strict salary limits based on a club’s income. And right now, Barcelona is spending more on wages than their allowed maximum. This means they either need to cut salaries or find new ways to bring in money, or both.
La Liga president Javier Tebas even spoke about this recently. He mentioned that Barcelona still has work to do to meet the rules, even after signing goalkeeper Joan Garcia. Yahoo Sports reported that sources inside Barcelona’s financial department are confident they can find the right financial formula. They say it’s about managing credit lines and interest rates, not a lack of cash flow.
Making Room in the Budget
Barcelona has been trying to free up funds this summer. They’ve made a few sales, which is good. Full-back Alex Valle, 21, went to Como for €6 million. And they’re getting €7.8 million from West Ham’s signing of Jean-Clair Todibo from Nice, thanks to a sell-on clause. They also terminated Clement Lenglet’s contract, and he’s joined Atletico Madrid.
But it seems like this isn’t enough. They probably need more players to leave. And the ongoing Camp Nou renovations are also a factor. They need that stadium income to increase pretty soon. It’s a familiar tightrope act for the club, honestly. We saw it in January when La Liga de-registered Dani Olmo for a bit, only for Barca to get him back after a government ruling.
Why Williams is So Wanted
So, why is Barcelona so keen on Nico Williams? Well, he’s a pretty exciting player. He’s got lightning-quick feet and loves to run at defenders. He was a big part of Spain winning Euro 2024, by the way. The Athletic’s analysis shows only a few players attempted more take-ons per game than his 8.4 last season.
He’s pretty unpredictable, too. He can hug the touchline and cut the ball back, or he can cut inside and shoot. He just makes things happen with his speed. Even in a somewhat tricky season, he still managed a goal or an assist every other match. He’s just a really positive, zippy player. And Barcelona likes that kind of energy for their attack. And they’ve apparently looked at other players too, like Luis Diaz, but Williams is the one they’re focusing on now.
It’s all about getting those financial details sorted. Barcelona is confident, but La Liga has the final say on registration. It’s gonna be an interesting few weeks for the club. Meanwhile, other teams are also busy with transfers and AFCON previews, as ESPN reported on other Barcelona rumors earlier. But for now, all eyes are on Nico Williams and that salary cap.
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