According to reports, Barcelona and Spain’s top player Nico Williams have reached a personal agreement for Williams to transfer to Camp Nou after Euro 2024.
Williams has been one of the standout players at the European Championship this summer. Alongside Lamine Yamal, he helped La Roja secure their spot in the championship match with a 2-1 victory over France on Tuesday.
The Premier League is showing interest in the 21-year-old Williams, and Chelsea is reportedly eager to have him play at Stamford Bridge. The Spanish team’s main player, Marc Cucurella, has been trying to convince his compatriot to go to west London after encouraging him to sign with Chelsea this summer.
Williams is also well-liked at Arsenal, and Mikel Areta is initially choosing him to play as a winger should the team decide to add one this summer.
However, Sport reports that Barcelona has reached an agreement in principle to sign the Athletic Bilbao player, and they intend to retain him in Spain.
Felix Tainta, Williams’ agent, is said to have met with Barcelona officials last week, and an agreement was reached between the Spanish player and the club.
Personal terms for a transfer to the Catalan giants were arranged in the hopes that Williams’ club might now reach an agreement. Williams re-signed a long-term contract with Athletic last year, although the agreement has a roughly £50 million release clause.
Barcelona remain dogged by financial problems and are currently unable to register new players. Despite those challenges, club president Joan Laporta is confident the club will soon have the money available to sign Williams.
‘Economically speaking, we could commit to the signing of Nico Williams,’ Laporta told Catalunya Radio on Monday.
‘Nico’s a player I like — I like him a lot. We are working with [new coach Hansi] Flick on possible signings. Now we have to leave [sporting director] Deco to close the operations we are working on.
‘Shortly we will be able to announce some good news with regard to the financial [issues] and we will be back within LaLiga’s Fair Play limits.
‘And that will allow further good news in terms of [signings].’