Are Barca right to prioritise Nico Williams this summer?

Are Barca right to prioritise Nico Williams this summer?

Watching Spain in the European Championship has been a pleasure so far, with La Roja having only conceded one goal which came in their 4-1 win over Georgia in the Round of 16.

From a Barcelona point of view, Pedri has shown that he is getting back to somewhere approaching his best form, while Lamine Yamal has continued to be a revelation.

The assists that the latter has provided in the competition have been nothing short of exquisite, and perhaps the only thing missing is the goal which would see him make even more history for his country.

Hosts, Germany, represent their next test this coming Friday, and with the country behind them, Spain could have their work cut out.

However, with Pedri’s guile in the midfield and Lamine’s positive, front foot play down the right, there are two reasons why Die Mannschaft won’t have the quarter-final all their own way.

Not to mention the electric pace and brilliant form of Nico Williams on the opposite flank.

The Athletic Club flyer brought out his box of tricks again against Georgia, and his sublime finish capped another remarkable individual performance.

It’s no wonder that Joan Laporta apparently wants to prioritise the signing of the 21-year-old this summer.

With a reported release clause of €55m getting a deal done certainly won’t be easy, and it’s worth pondering the question as to whether, in fact, Laporta and his board are wasting their energies in an area where the club are already well covered.

Both Ferran Torres and Raphinha can work the left hand side as required, so unless the Blaugranes are thinking of cashing in on one and benching the other, a deal for Williams doesn’t make an awful lot of sense - at this point.

Finding the right man to play the pivot role should be of much more importance because Barca will continue to struggle unless they can bring in a high-quality exponent to set the tempo from that central position.

Not a Sergio Busquets replacement per se, but a player with range and vision, and who will not be overawed by the pressure that will come with slotting into that area of the team.

Nico Williams is a player that will get bums off seats and would undoubtedly be an exciting addition to the squad, but now is the time to be sensible about signings.

Joshua Kimmich, by way of just one example, might not be a household name in the sense that you won’t see the headline writers troubled week in and week out, but he is a master of his craft in a position that Barca crave.

Surely signing him or a player of a similar ilk is a more logical step before the start of the 2024/25 campaign?