Barcelona reach pre-agreement with Nico Williams until 2031

Barcelona have reached a pre-agreement with Nico Williams to sign him, reports Footmercato's Santi Aouna. The contract would run until June 2031 and the player would receive a gross salary of 12 million euros per season.

Nico Williams, currently at Athletic Club, has been one of the players most followed by Barca's sporting management in recent months, including last season. One curious aspect fuelling rumours of his arrival is the recent social media moves of Spain national team teammates Balde and Lamine Yamal, as well as Raphinha's latest following of the Athletic player on Instagram.

These gestures have been interpreted as signs of rapprochement and support for the possible signing of the Spanish international. The agreement, which has yet to be made official, would consolidate Barcelona's commitment to young talent.

The Footmercato report places the Catalan club ahead of other European giants such as Chelsea, Bayern and Arsenal in the race to sign Williams. It is expected that in the coming weeks the final details will be finalised and the arrival of Nico Williams at Camp Nou will be made official.