After signing Joan Garcia in what is, on paper, one of the biggest deals of the summer transfer window, FC Barcelona are fully focused on Nico Williams . The Spanish champions' more than pronounced interest in the Athletic winger has already materialized in several meetings with the player's entourage, who wants to move to Catalonia to join his friends Lamine Yamal and Gavi, among others.
This operation, however, risks being complex, as Athletic does not want to negotiate with its Barcelona counterparts, and demands the payment of the player's release clause - around €60 million - in a single payment. The Basques want to keep their player at all costs , but the trend is clearly towards a departure, while waiting for FC Barcelona to find the necessary funds to negotiate his arrival. The sale of Ronald Araujo or Fermín López could be the solution for the team coached by Hansi Flick.
Deco confirms for Nico Williams
In an interview published this Sunday in La Vanguardia , the club's sporting director Deco gave an update on this matter, confirming that Barça is working on his arrival: "There is an obvious criterion for a player to come to Barça: he must believe in our project. Last season, it didn't happen for Nico, for me the Dani Olmo operation was a priority. Players like Nico, and others, are showing today that they want to come. If the circumstances are right, we will try him. In his case, he has a clause. We met with his agent to find out what the player wants and from there, we will see if it is possible ." Then, he was asked about the player's friendship with several Barcelona executives: "We are concerned about harmony in the dressing room, we have a very good dressing room and we want to maintain that. The most important thing with players like Nico or Luis (Diaz, editor's note) is that they are good people who are hungry and want to triumph. We always had the idea of recruiting Nico. His friendship with Lamine Yamal is a good thing, but this is not a club of friends, we come here to work and try to win. Afterwards, if they get along well, so much the better . "
Then, he also mentioned the case of Ansu Fati , who has been rumored to be leaving for Monaco for a while, but for whom things don't seem to be moving forward. "With his age and the career he's had, he can't stay without playing. We're open and we won't put obstacles in his way if he wants to leave. Yes, we've spoken with Monaco. Ansu is under contract, if he asks to leave it would be a loan. He's 23, we talk about him as if he were 30, but he still has a lot to grow and he still has a lot to learn ," said the Portuguese. The message is clear.
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