The outlines of German coach Hansi Flick’s project at Barcelona are beginning to emerge as his second season approaches, and he has begun making his first crucial decisions. Flick has laid out a clear plan for next season, one of whose priorities is reducing the number of non-essential players. The club intends to complete four transfer deals in the coming days, allowing financial and technical space for new signings.
According to information from the Spanish newspaper El Nacional, Nico Williams is no longer on Barcelona’s agenda. The Athletic Bilbao winger, who had long been a target of interest for the Catalan club’s sporting directors, has completely dropped out of consideration this summer. President Joan Laporta has unequivocally informed his close aides that Barcelona will not seek to sign the player again.
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This decision stems from the player’s stance during last summer’s transfer window, when he refused to join Barcelona, preferring instead to remain with Bilbao—despite repeated attempts by the Blaugrana management. Laporta believes this rejection clearly demonstrated that Nico does not place Barcelona at the top of his priorities, and therefore sees no point in resuming negotiations with a player who has not shown a clear commitment to the club.
Excluding Nico Williams is not merely a sporting decision; it also represents a powerful symbolic message from Barcelona’s management. Laporta wants to emphasize that the club does not chase after just any player, but rather those who display a genuine desire to wear the club’s jersey from the outset. The club is weary of drawn-out negotiations and repeated rejections, and has no intention of repeating such experiences.
In this context, Laporta is sending a clear signal: Barcelona stands above all, and any player who chooses a different path when the club needs them will not be given a second chance.
