Barcelona’s priority target had approved summer transfer, but move was halted due to one

Nico Williams was the biggest story in the summer transfer window. Following an exemplary Euro 2024 campaign, the forward was strongly linked with a move to Barcelona.

The Catalans had even identified Nico as a top target in the attacking department. But after months of negotiations, Barça were not able to convince either Nico or Athletic Club to sanction the move.

This created a lot of resentment among Barcelona supporters, many of whom believed that it was Nico and his agent who stalled the deal.

Nico approved Barcelona move in the summer

However, a recent report from Diario SPORT reveals a different story. It appears Nico Williams had actually given his approval to join Barcelona, with the player himself expressing his desire to move to Catalonia as early as the summer.

The 21-year-old forward personally communicated his decision to Barcelona president Joan Laporta, marking the first step in what should have been a high-profile transfer.

The Spanish international, alongside Barcelona’s rising star Lamine Yamal, had formed a deadly partnership during the Euro 2024 campaign, which only further fueled Barça’s interest.

What stopped Barcelona?

The move was, however, derailed by Barcelona’s ongoing financial struggles. The club had to deal with La Liga’s strict Financial Fair Play regulations, which made it impossible to meet Nico’s release clause of over €60 million.

The clause could not be paid in instalments, forcing Barça to explore alternative solutions.

The club had pinned its hopes on either finalizing a lucrative new deal with Nike or selling key players like Ronald Araujo or Frenkie de Jong to raise the necessary funds.

But both options fell through as the potential sponsors delayed, and the players themselves expressed their desire to stay at the club.

Ultimately, Barcelona shifted its focus to Dani Olmo, sealing his transfer from RB Leipzig – a move that has paid dividends in the early parts of the campaign, even though the player now faces up to a month on the sidelines.