It looks like Barcelona will finally get their man. After more than 12 months of intense speculation, Nico Williams has reportedly agreed to a six-year deal with the Catalan giants, who are now set to trigger the €58 million (£50m/$67m) release clause in his Athletic Club contract.
Work must be done to ensure Barca can fit Williams' salary within La Liga limits, with sporting director Deco expected to sanction several sales in the coming weeks. Ansu Fati and Ronald Araujo are among the outfield players likely to be on the chopping block, while Marc-Andre ter Stegen seems increasingly certain to depart after the arrival of Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia.
There should, then, be no repeat of the Dani Olmo registration fiasco that provided an unwanted sideshow for so much of Barca's 2024-25 campaign. Bayern Munich and Arsenal have also been linked with Williams, but he's made it clear that Catalunya is his first-choice destination, with Diario Sport even claiming he is willing to take a wage cut.
Barca certainly feels like a natural next step for Williams after four seasons of impressive growth at Athletic Club. The 22-year-old has become one of the most consistent performers in La Liga while also earning a regular role in the Spain national team, and should have little trouble making the transition to Hansi Flick's side.
The only question mark is how exactly Flick is planning to tweak his line up to accommodate Williams. Barca were the most scintillating attacking team in Europe last term, and there is a risk of the frontline being thrown out of balance if the manager doesn't get this decision right...