Barcelona president Joan Laporta has made a significant decision in an effort to complete the signing of Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams. According to the newspaper "Sport," Laporta has decided to withdraw negotiation powers from the sporting director, Portuguese Deco, opting to take on this role himself.
Barcelona is close to announcing the signing of Dani Olmo from Leipzig after paying the buyout clause in the Spanish national star's contract; however, the situation regarding Williams' contract seems unclear. Williams has rejoined training with Bilbao after returning from vacation following his participation in the 2024 European Championship, and there are no signs indicating his potential signing with Barcelona this summer.
Nevertheless, Laporta refuses to give up, prompting him to lead the negotiation process, driven by the fans' reactions who are eager for Williams' signing. He formed a strong partnership with Barcelona star Lamine Yamal during the continental tournament where Spain won the title. The buyout clause in Williams' contract with Bilbao is set at 58 million euros, which means Barcelona will struggle to secure this amount after already paying the 55 million euro buyout clause for Olmo's contract with Leipzig.
