Nico Williams latest: Terms agreed with Barcelona, Hansi Flick makes phone call

Barcelona have reportedly agreed terms with Athletic Club winger to join the club on a six-year deal. Now comes the most difficult part for the Blaugrana: finding the money to activate his €58m release clause.

As reported yesterday, Williams and Barcelona have reached an agreement in principle on terms, which has since been corroborated by Fabrizio Romano. Sport affirm that Williams is ‘crazy’ about signing for Barcelona, and has made his willingness to get the deal done clear. He has even offered to ask Athletic to negotiate rather than demand his release clause, but the Blaugrana intend to try and find a way to get the money together. The two clubs have poor institutional relations currently.

According to Diario AS, Athletic do still have hope of retaining Nico Williams. Both they and Bayern Munich are waiting to see whether the Blaugrana can pay up his release clause, but Los Leones will offer him a new deal, and one that will pay him more than he would earn in Catalonia. They continue to maintain confidence they can hold onto him for a season in the Champions League.

Meanwhile, RAC1 say that Barcelona are making significant advances with regard to the arrival of Williams. They say the club and Williams want to ensure it is guaranteed that he can be registered before they execute the clause, and the deal will come down to their salary limit.

Barcelona Director of Football Deco was seen rather publicly traveling to Ibiza on Wednesday, where both Hansi Flick and Williams are on holiday. El Chiringuito report that Deco met with Flick to discuss their potential arrivals and departures, and their plans for next season. During said meeting, the pair called Williams.

The 22-year-old would be the ninth-most expensive signing in Barcelona history were they to pull the deal off. On Wednesday, the Blaugrana confirmed their first signing of the summer, paying Joan Garcia’s €25m release clause to sign him from Espanyol.