A few more days ago, Deco and the sports leadership of FC Barcelona only swore by Luis Diaz, the Colombian winger of Liverpool. It was he who was at the top of the champion's champion's shopping list, looking for quality offensive reinforcement this summer. But the trend has changed, and it is now Nico Williams who is the number 1 goal of the Blaugranas. As revealed by us, a pre-agreement already exists with the Spanish international, who dreams of joining Catalonia. Only concerns: its release clause of around 60 million euros (58 million according to certain versions, 62 according to others), that Barça cannot pay Cash for the moment. Barcelona leaders will therefore have to find solutions to be able to pay this total, knowing that Athletic, cold with the Catalans, will not negotiate a payment in several deadlines, and it will surely go through sales. But in the meantime, we can ask ourselves a question: is Nico Williams a good reinforcement for Barça?
Since we mentioned the price of the player above, let us remain on the financial aspect. An amount surrounding the 60 million euros and a completely reasonable salary of 12 million euros gross per season are on the agenda; Which makes the 22 -year -old a nice blow on the purely accounting level. The players of his profile, young, differential and having already proven themselves at very high level and with their selection generally leave for higher amounts today, far exceeding 80 million euros. Just as they generally affect much more substantial emoluments, especially in the Premier League. On paper, it is therefore a transfer very far from overpayed, even if it is also necessary to take into account that if spending 60 million euros for an English cador or for PSG remains a formality, it is a little more complicated for a club in financial difficulty like Barça.
An offensive sector jostled
On the sporting level, it is also a very good blow on paper. The qualities of the Basque are known to everyone: it is an excellent dribbler, it is fast and lethal in one against one, and he is also a player who can guarantee a large ten goals per season. He is also able to play on both sides, and already has automatisms with many players he frequents in selection like Pedri or Lamine Yamal. If Barça could already rely on a very efficient offensive sector this season, Hansi Flick would receive a new more than powerful, but also necessary weapon, insofar as the workforce was a bit short quantitatively in front. Efficient holders, a ferran torres who proved to be a very good luxury joker, but behind, the German coach did not really have other guarantees to count. On the other hand, a question arises: where will Nico Williams play? It seems difficult to see the Spanish on the bench. But at the same time, it is also difficult to imagine taking the place of Raphinha, which comes out of an exceptional season, just as Lamine Yamal is unbeatable on the right.
For many observers, Nico Williams would come to play on the left, his natural position, and would shift Raphinha towards the axis. The Brazilian would not necessarily be disoriented, since if he is often on the left on the composition, he very often transplanted towards the center, well helped by a bald who has the volume of play to cover the whole corridor behind him. A line of three composed of Williams, Raphinha and Lamine Yamal behind Robert Lewandowski seems to be the most likely solution, and in the end, it is rather players like Dani Olmo or Fermin Lopez who would be “victims” of the arrival of Williams. Another hypothesis, rather during the match than from the start, could be to imagine Raphinha in false 9 instead of Lewandowski, and Williams, Olmo and Lamine Yamal behind. Anyway, it is a “rich problem” for Hansi Flick as we are used to saying.
The locker room awaits him with open arms
The other big point in favor of the transfer of Nico Williams is his adaptation to the locker room, which should be immediate. If players like Marcus Rashford, a coveted time, or even Luis Diaz, would likely need some time to acclimatize to their new environment, the Spanish international will not absolutely need it. He is very friendly with several Barça players like Lamine Yamal, Gavi, Fermin Lopez and Alejandro Baldé, and since the last euro already, the Spanish press stressed that he practically frequented only players from the Catalan club during the Raja rallies. Clearly, it will not be disoriented and the locker room will welcome him with open arms, especially since according to the local press, it was even Barça players who insisted with Joan Laporta to attack and recruit him.
Precisely, the Barcelona president had doubts because of Williams' affinities with the Blaugrana wardrobe, being afraid that the players get too well and can sometimes take training less seriously and less focus on football. It should also be noted that Williams is a player who still has to polish certain aspects of his game who can be tolerated at Athletic by being young, but who could be worth more criticism at Barça in the more or less close future. We think of its decision -making in the last meters sometimes a little random, or its finish which is not always optimal. He is also a player who has had some rather recurring physical seeds in recent years. Obviously, it is the reality on the ground that will tell us if Williams is a good blow from Barça – or not – but on paper and despite the few small negative points mentioned just before, it is clear that there are very few arguments to criticize this operation …
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