After the European Championship playoffs last summer, Nico Williams was in dire straits. The Spanish European champion had shown himself with sparkling attacking play, the big clubs were queuing up to secure the young winger. Williams remained at Athletic Club, but has again been reported for a possible exit.
Liverpool, Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Barcelona are heavily linked with the 22-year-old, who knows how to exploit his position in the negotiations. According to El Nacional, Williams’ agent has given Barcelona management a clear message that he should have a guarantee to sign with Barca.
The guarantee is every player’s dream and coach’s nightmare. The guarantee of a place in the starting eleven.
Williams has a buyout clause of around €60 million, but the requirement for a first-eleven guarantee in Barcelona’s squad is surely a dealbreaker for sporting director Deco and Hansi Flick. At Barcelona, you don’t get the kit until you’ve proven you’ve earned it. This probably also applies to the other clubs.
