Barcelona will not be able to sign any new players without prior sales if top target joins this summer - Reports
Barcelona will reportedly not be in a position to acquire new players without selling existing ones if they snap up Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams. The 22-year-old was a revelant for Spain in their triumphant Euro 2024 campaign.
Williams is also coming off an impressive season with Bilbao, bagging eight goals and 19 assists in 37 games across competitions. That includes five goals and 14 asissts in 31 games in La Liga and three goals and five assists in six outings in their triumphant Copa del Rey campaign.
He continued his good form at the Euros in Germany, contributing two goals and an asisst in six games to capture the attention of top clubs, including the Blaugrana. However, with Williams contracted till 2027, Bilbao are under no pressure to sell him and want any suitor to pay his release clause of €60 million.
However, as per SPORT (via Barca Universal), owing to the club's well renowned financial woes, they will need to take a loan to pull off the move. Moreover, for any more incomings, the Blaugrana will need some prominent player sales.
Ferran Torres and Raphinha appear to be surprlus to requirements, but both players are relunctant to leave, as they want to make their mark under new boss Hansi Flick, which complicates the club's potential move for Williams.
A look at Barcelona's 2023-24 season
Barcelona are coming off a disappointing 2023-24 season as they finished without any silverware. Xavi's side's La Liga title defence was ended by their arch-rivals Real Madrid.
Los Blancos also beat Barca in the Supercopa Espana final. Xavi's side stumbled in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey and the UEFA Champions League as well.
They fell to eventual winners Athletic Bilbao in the domestic cup before losing to PSG in the Champions League. In the latter tie, Xavi's side squandered a 4-2 aggregate lead at home following Ronald Araujo's dismissal, conceding four unanswered goals to get eliminated.