Yahoo Sports Barcelona’s priority target still silent on future plans
Nico Williams, a priority target for Barcelona, has once again dodged the question related to his future.
Speaking in an interview ahead of Spain’s Euro 2024 quarter-final contest against Germany, the winger emphasised that his current focus is on the Spanish national team and the ongoing European Championship.
With the match looming, Nico redirected inquiries about his future several times towards the important international tournament, all with a lighthearted demeanour.
When pressed directly about his future plans, he was quoted by Mundo Deportivo as saying, “100%, the national team.”
At 21 years old and contracted with Athletic Club until 2027, Nico is attracting significant interest from clubs across Europe, including Barcelona, where he shares a strong bond with their representatives on the national team, particularly Lamine Yamal.
His release clause is set at around €58 million and this is exactly something, apart from his extravagant salary demand, that is hindering Barcelona’s progress.
Nico is clever in answering
When asked about the prospect of continuing his partnership with Yamal beyond the Euros, Nico skillfully steered the conversation back to the immediate task at hand:
“Right now, we have a very important match on Friday. I am focused on the Euro, to demonstrate that we can do much more.”
Regarding the allure of potentially playing alongside Barcelona stars like Pedri, Ferran, and Lamine in the national team, he expressed his admiration: “Of course, I would love to play alongside them in the national team.”
Furthermore, reflecting on his close bond with Yamal, Nico traced its origins to their introduction by Alejandro Balde during their first national team call-up.
Their friendship grew quickly, fueled by shared interests and mutual respect. Nico praised Yamal’s maturity at a young age, noting his humility and natural approach to handling praise and criticism alike.
“Balde brought us together, I have a beautiful friendship with Balde and he introduced us when he came to the first call. And we became close friends, we have similar tastes and we are still friends today.
“For the age he is, he is quite mature and football-wise, he is very good. Then there is his decision-making, he decides very well, something that was very difficult for me. It’s incredible to play with him,” added Nico.
