“Financially we can make it happen” - Joan Laporta talks up Barcelona’s pursuit of Spain’s Euro 2024 star
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has expressed his optimism to sign Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams. The 21-year-old is having a superb campaign for Spain at the ongoing Euro 2024, helping La Roja to the semi-finals.
Williams has bagged a goal and an assist in four games as Luis de la Fuente's side take on France in the first semi-final in Munich on Tuesday (July 9). Both goal contributions came in the come-from-behind 4-1 Round of 16 win over Georgia.
The 21-year-old is coming off an impressive 2023-24 season with Bilbao, contributing eight goals and 19 assists in 37 games across competitions. Three of those goals and five assists caame in six games in their victorious Copa del Rey campaign, with the other goal contributions coming in La Liga.
Despite having a contract at San Mames till 2027, Williams has garnered attention from top clubs across the continent for his exploits for club and country, with the Blaugrana also among his reported suitors.
Barcelona boss Laporta told Catalunya Radio (as per transfer guru Fabrizio Romano) that despite the club's well-documented financial woes, they have the finances to land Williams:
“I like Nico, a lot. I can say that financially we can make it happen. It’s result of work that has been done over all these years to reach this point. We could, of course, face a signing of this level."
As per Barca Universal, Williams has a release clause of €55 million.
Former Barcelona captain Tente Sanchez lavishes high praise on Nico Williams
Former Barcelona captain Tente Sanchez has said that Nico Williams would be a very good addition to his former club, having shown his prowess at Euro 2024 along with Barca prodigy Lamine Yamal.
He has even proposed selling Raphinha to land Williams, who, he says, is a better player than the Brazilian and has impressive attributes like game awareness and intelligence, saying as per SPORT (via Barca Blaugranes):
“Before thinking about signing Nico Williams, Barça should be on a 1:1 basis. I think he’s a very good player, and I say it clearly, and he’s proving it alongside Lamine Yamal. They’re young; they’re cheeky; they’ve got quality.
“Nico could play in a top-level team without any problem. If there was the possibility of signing him, I would sign him. I’ll say more: if there’s the possibility of Raphinha leaving and getting some money, I would sign Nico. If I sit down to watch a match in which both of them play, I’ll pay more attention to Nico than Raphinha.”
As per GOAL, Williams has expressed his intention to remain in Spain, which makes Barcelona one of the favourites to land him should he choose to leave Bilbao.