Barcelona calling agents of transfer target ‘every day’ to try and get a deal done

Barcelona have not given up on signing Nico Williams this summer – that is the line coming out of the Catalan capital, in spite of the €62m arrival of Dani Olmo in the city to complete a move.

Williams has a €58m release clause, but has not yet responded to Barcelona’s offer offcially, allowing some room for hope from the Catalan perspective. Many are taking it as a given that he will remain at Athletic Club though after he returned a week early to training at Lezama, and told club press that he was looking forward to the new season.

On Thursday morning though, it emerged that President Joan Laporta would intervene in talks personally to try and get a deal over the line, with Sporting Director Deco not having much luck. Now Fabrizio Romano has explained to Caught Offside that Barcelona are in daily contact with agent Felix Tainta still, and hope to pull off the deal. Romano did admit that Athletic were relaxed about the matter, and believe Williams will stay.

Even with some of the questionable planning at Barcelona in recent years, it would still be a surprise if Williams and Olmo were signed without major sales. Olmo and Raphinha seem likely to compete for a spot on the left, while Pedri, Fermin Lopez and Ilkay Gundogan will juke it out for the role behind the forward, where Olmo can also play. Signing Williams would mean keeping at least three stars on the bench.