Nico Williams DREAMS of Barça MORE THAN OTHER CLUBS”, reports Sport today.

Nico Williams is once again dominating the transfer headlines, and this time, the links to FC Barcelona are stronger than ever. According to an exclusive report from Sport, the Athletic Club and Spain international is now more inclined to join Barça than any other interested club, setting the stage for one of the summer’s most exciting transfer sagas.

The 21-year-old winger, who impressed during the 2023/24 La Liga season and at Euro 2024, has reportedly informed his camp that Barcelona is his dream destination. While Bayern Munich, Chelsea, and Arsenal are all circling, it is the Catalan giants who now sit at the top of his preference list.

This isn’t the first time Nico Williams has been on Barça’s radar. The Blaugrana explored a possible move last summer, but financial constraints and squad limitations prevented any formal progress. Now, with Hansi Flick at the helm and a revamped sporting project underway, the Catalans are ready to reignite talks.

According to Sport, Barcelona sporting director Deco recently held a discreet meeting with Nico’s agent, Félix Tainta, in the Catalan capital. Interestingly, the meeting was not initiated by Barça — but by the player’s entourage, who are pushing for a deal to materialize. This detail alone highlights Nico’s strong desire to wear the famous Blaugrana shirt.

Inside sources confirm that Flick personally spoke to the player, explaining how he envisions Nico playing a pivotal role in Barcelona’s new attacking system. The German coach is a long-time admirer of the Athletic Club star and believes his explosive pace, work rate, and dribbling skills would complement Lamine Yamal and Robert Lewandowski perfectly.

Lamine Yamal, who has become close friends with Nico through the Spanish national team, is reportedly playing a crucial role behind the scenes. Both players shared strong chemistry on and off the pitch during international duty, and Yamal has been actively encouraging him to make the switch. Social media posts and private messages between the two suggest the friendship could soon evolve into a club partnership.

Despite the player’s desire, Athletic Club remains reluctant to part ways with their star. Nico signed a contract extension last year which runs until 2027, and the Basque club still hopes to convince him to stay by offering an improved salary package and additional performance bonuses. However, his current release clause — believed to be around €58 million — is within reach for several top European clubs.

Among the strongest competitors for his signature is Bayern Munich. The German giants have been in advanced discussions with Nico’s camp for weeks, and Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that they are “going strong” to close a deal quickly. Bayern reportedly offered a significant wage package and are confident they can meet Athletic’s financial demands.

Arsenal and Chelsea are also closely monitoring the situation. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta sees Williams as an ideal long-term replacement for Gabriel Martinelli on the left wing, while Chelsea are considering triggering his release clause outright, especially if they fail to sign Michael Olise from Crystal Palace. However, according to Sport, none of these clubs appeal to Nico as much as Barcelona.

The main obstacle for Barça, unsurprisingly, is financial. Despite Flick’s approval and Deco’s interest, the club must navigate around La Liga’s strict financial fair play regulations. Nico is expected to demand a net salary of around €10 million — a figure that could prove challenging unless the club offloads players or activates additional financial levers.

Barça have also been linked with other left-wing options like Liverpool’s Luis Díaz and free agent Ivan Perišić, but Flick reportedly prefers a younger and more dynamic option — and Nico fits the bill perfectly.

Interestingly, several Barça players have reportedly reached out to Williams privately to persuade him. In recent interviews, the winger admitted that during the last transfer window, many Barcelona players messaged him saying, “Brother, come now.” That level of internal pressure from players may prove decisive.

Still, the player faces an emotional dilemma. Nico has publicly stated his love for Athletic Club on multiple occasions, calling the club his “home” and “family.” Leaving a club that nurtured him into a professional won’t be easy, but his growing ambitions and Barcelona’s interest could eventually tip the balance.

Athletic’s captain Óscar de Marcos has also warned against a premature exit, suggesting that young players should think carefully before joining bigger clubs where competition is fierce and playing time uncertain.

Meanwhile, Bayern are not backing down. They are expected to make a final push in the coming days and have already cleared part of their wage structure to accommodate a player of Nico’s caliber. The battle for his signature could come down to how quickly Barcelona can free up room in their salary cap.

For now, Nico remains focused on Spain’s Euro 2024 campaign, but his agents are hard at work behind the scenes. According to Sport, a deal could move quickly once the player returns from international duty — especially if Barça can align financially.

In a transfer window full of uncertainties, one thing is clear: Nico Williams has made up his mind. He dreams of Barcelona, and he’s now waiting for the club to make that dream a reality.

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