Barcelona president Joan Laporta asserts that the club has the financial means to pursue a transfer for Spain’s Euro 2024 standout Nico Williams this summer.
The 21-year-old shone for Athletic Bilbao last season, netting five goals and providing 11 assists in La Liga.
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Williams has also been a crucial player for Spain at Euro 2024 as they gear up to face France in the semi-finals on Tuesday night.
His performances have caught the eye of several clubs, including Arsenal, Chelsea, and Barcelona, all considering a summer move for him.
The winger’s transfer is facilitated by a €55 million (£46.5m) release clause in his Athletic Bilbao contract.
Despite Barcelona’s financial struggles preventing them from registering new signings, which seemed to give Arsenal and Chelsea an edge, Laporta is confident that Barcelona will secure Williams this transfer window.
‘Economically speaking, we could commit to the signing of Nico Williams,’ Laporta said on El mati de Catalunya Radio.
‘Nico’s a player I like, I like him a lot. We are working with [Hansi] Flick on possible signings. Now we have to leave Deco to close the operations we are working on.
‘Shortly we will be able to announce some good news with regard to the financial [issues] and we will be back within La Liga’s Fair Play limits. And that will allow further good news in terms of [transfers].’
Asked about his future last week, Williams said he will not make a decision until after Spain’s Euro 2024 campaign is over.
‘In the end, my brother [Athletic team-mate Inaki Williams] is a very important person for me . He has lived a similar situation to mine,’ Williams said.
‘He has also had offers from outside Athletic, but I said that I didn’t want to know anything about what comes from outside, about signings or stories.
‘They know what I am like, the personality I have, and I don’t like to know because I get distracted easily. I prefer to focus on one thing and go for it.
‘Because if one thing or another comes to me, in the end my head doesn’t work very well.
‘My agent, my parents and my family know me perfectly and they know that I don’t want to hear anything until the Euros are over.’
