Barca Universal
·16 June 2025
Laporta has one key concern about Nico Williams amid strong Barcelona interest

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·16 June 2025
According to journalist Santi Ovalle in Carrusel Deportivo, Barcelona president Joan Laporta is having his reservations about the signing of Nico Williams, despite the winger being one of the club’s top targets to bolster the attack.
The concern does not come from the player’s talent, work rate, or fit within Hansi Flick’s system. Instead, the issue is more internal and psychological.
Ovalle reports that Laporta is wary of Nico’s close friendship with current Barcelona star Lamine Yamal, fearing it could lead to the formation of tight-knit “cliques” within the dressing room.
Laporta, as per the report, wants the locker room to be built on professionalism and collective unity, not on strong interpersonal alliances.
This concern is not just speculative. The idea is rooted in past experiences at the club, where certain social dynamics, nicknamed the “Club de Amigos”, have, in some cases, hurt team balance and performance.
These tightly bonded subgroups within the squad were seen as functional only when the team was winning. But when results faltered, divisions, mistrust, and blame followed, something the current leadership is eager to avoid repeating.
Nico Williams has a good relationship with Lamine Yamal. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)
That said, there are positive voices within the club regarding Nico’s arrival. It is noted that he already knows many players in the squad well, and that he’s on good terms with them, not just Yamal.
Importantly, Flick has already spoken with the Athletic Club star, expressing his interest in bringing him to the Camp Nou.
Still, the financial aspect remains a major hurdle. Barcelona are prioritising the signing of Luis Diaz, but his price tag, well over €60 million, is currently out of reach unless the club makes a significant sale.
The same applies to Nico, whose €62 million release clause must be paid in full if a move is to be completed.
At the moment, Nico remains open to a Barcelona transfer and is even willing to lower his salary to make the deal work.
However, the final decision will hinge not only on financial factors but also on how the club resolves these internal doubts from the highest level.