The future of talented left winger Nico Williams continues to generate interest and doesn't seem to be fading from the spotlight anytime soon. Why? Despite a recent video circulating on social media from Athletic Club in which Nico is seen rejoining training with the Basque team in Lezama, and many interpreted this as an attempt to end speculation, FC Barcelona still holds hopes of signing him this summer.
Apparently, the interest from the Barcelona side in acquiring the forward is so strong that, as reported on FCBN, Joan Laporta has taken charge of negotiations with the aim of reaching a satisfactory agreement, providing all necessary assurances. Earlier, there were rumors that the younger Williams brother had doubts about accepting the Barcelona side's proposal due to uncertainty regarding whether the club would resolve their financial fair play issues and player registration.
However, the outlook for the Catalan squad seems to be improving, as they are close to stabilizing their situation regarding the 1/1 rule and will now be able to reinforce themselves somewhat normally. This is reflected in the increasingly likely acquisition of Dani Olmo, one of the key moves Barça planned to make in this market, indicating an economic recovery, as the operation would involve an investment of €55 million plus seven 'add-ons'.
The economic aspect will not be a key factor in Nico Williams' signing
Now, whether FC Barcelona is prepared or not to handle Nico Williams' transfer, which would require an initial outlay of around €62 million (€58 release clause and €4 IPC), the player's acquisition is not solely an economic matter. Other important factors come into play here.
As reported in 'MARCA', apparently the forward is not primarily motivated by financial reasons to change Athletic Club's sporting project. It is worth noting that, for example, he was not swayed by the economic proposal from Paris Saint-Germain to secure his services this summer transfer window, even though it doubled his current earnings per season with the Basque team. According to 'Capology' metrics, we would be talking about around five million euros net annually. Additionally, he had previously received other financially attractive offers, such as from Aston Villa, which nearly tripled what he was earning with the 'Lions' before his contract renewal in 2023.
Therefore, it appears that the economic aspect will not be the deciding factor in luring Nico Williams away from Athletic Club, as he is content with what he receives at the Basque club, an amount that in many other LaLiga EA Sports clubs would be significantly higher than his current contract. To convince him, Barcelona will need to present a solid sporting project and a competitive salary offer, which, as reported by various sources, would be around €12 million net per season for five years.
Will FC Barcelona manage to convince Nico Williams?
From here it will only remain to weigh whether Nico Williams' sense of belonging to Athletic Club, where he is one of the top names in the sporting project and will have the opportunity to play in European competitions this year, weighs more than the offer from the Catalan side. The Culé club also offers him the option to participate in European competitions (Champions League) and be a key player in a squad where there are some players with whom he seems to have a strong relationship both on and off the field. Among them stands out the young Barcelona star, Lamine Yamal, with whom he has shown he can form an exciting attacking duo.