The FC Barcelona is in the final stretch to finalize one of the most anticipated signings of the summer: Nico Williams. Despite the pressure exerted by Athletic Club to keep the young winger in Bilbao, the player has decided to make the leap to the City of Barcelona, where he is expected to be presented in the coming days.
The buyout clause, which amounts to 62 million euros (58 million plus 4 for IPC), is already ready to be paid. The president of Barça, Joan Laporta, confirmed that all the paperwork is in progress and that only the day to make the deposit in LaLiga through the player's agent, Félix Tainta, remains to be finalized. This operation is expected to close before July 9, the date on which Athletic begins its preseason.
Meanwhile, Nico has been enjoying a vacation in Mauritius and Ibiza, disconnecting from the controversy surrounding his decision to leave Athletic. The player, who will turn 23 on July 12, plans to celebrate his birthday in Barcelona, already as a Barça player.
Additionally, the Catalan club is working on other operations to free up space in its salary cap. This Monday, several important departures are closing, including that of Pablo Torre to RCD Mallorca, which could bring in 5 million euros. On the other hand, the loan of Ansu Fati to Monaco will be announced shortly, which will also help improve the club's financial fair play.
Barça is not only focused on the arrival of Nico Williams but also has plans to make more signings to strengthen its squad. They are looking for a left-back and another forward, while waiting for the departures of players like Clément Lenglet and other discards to help balance the books.
With Nico's arrival, Barça hopes to make a statement in the transfer market, and fans are already excited about the possibility of seeing the talented winger donning the blaugrana jersey. The board is confident that all movements will be finalized in time for the team to be ready to start the 2025/26 season with all its stars registered.
Will Barça manage to close the Nico Williams operation before the start of preseason? The answer could come in the coming days, and fans are eagerly awaiting confirmation of this signing that promises to be a great success for the club's future.