Barcelona are looking to up the ante in their pursuit of Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams.
The Spanish giants are keen to add a new winger to their squad and this is seen as one of their top priorities during this summer transfer window.
Williams is on Barcelona’s radar as the highly-rated winger delivered top-notch performances for both club and country.
Last season William bagged 8 goals and provided 19 assists in 37 appearances across all competitions, helping Athletic Bilbao win the Copa del Rey and secure a fifth-place finish.
The 22-year-old played a crucial role when it came to Spain lifting the Euros. He was involved in 3 goals which included a goal in the 2-1 win over England in the final.
The Athletic Bilbao winger was a menace down the left flank and his compatriot Lamine Yamal was a constant threat on the right wing.
In a bid to bolster their attacking department, Barcelona are eager to rope in Nico Williams.
According to Sport, Barcelona will have no issue in paying Williams’s €58m (£48m) release clause despite their well-documented financial issues.
The report claims that they are ready to trigger his release clause once they have reached an agreement with Williams over personal terms.
Williams wants assurances that he will be registered without any issues, with Barcelona confident they will be able to meet the player’s request.
Valverde addresses Williams’s exit rumours
Athletic boss Valverde has downplayed rumours of Williams’s potential departure and insists that the player is happy with his situation at San Mames.
“I have no doubts about Nico,” Valverde told reporters. “He looks good and happy. This year we have many challenges ahead of us, and I’m sure Nico will love to face them.
“He hasn’t been the only player who has had to live with rumours because the market will be open until the end of August. He’s a great player and there may be clubs who might be interested in him, but he’s happy with us and we’re happy with him. We’re counting on Nico when he returns from the holidays.
The race to sign the Athletic Bilbao star will not be a smooth sail as there will be barriers to face however Barcelona are keen on wrapping up this transfer within the next 10 days.
It will be interesting to see how this transfer situation evolves as things could go either way for the player.
Nico Williams is a dynamic winger who can open up the opposition’s defence with quick plays and sudden changes of pace. His skills and powerful plays on the wings make him a dangerous player who knows how to pull the strings and create goal-scoring opportunities for his teammates.
The Spanish international has made over 152 appearances across all club competitions and has racked up 29 goals. He has represented Spain on 20 different occasions and has scored 4 goals.
Image Credit: MARIA ROSA FERRE ✿, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
