Barcelona has recently enhanced its attacking arsenal with the acquisition of Dani Olmo from RB Leipzig for €60 million (£51 million). Following this significant addition, the Catalan club is now shifting its focus towards securing the transfer of his Spain teammate, Nico Williams.
Williams, a 22-year-old forward, has been on Barcelona’s radar throughout much of the summer transfer window. Despite earlier reports suggesting that Williams was inclined to remain at Athletic Bilbao for another season, Barcelona remains determined to bring him to Camp Nou before the transfer window closes on August 30.
According to recent updates, Williams has a €55 million (£47 million) release clause in his contract with Athletic. Reports from Sport indicate that Williams has communicated his desire to join Barcelona this summer. The club is optimistic about finalizing the deal within the coming week, though they must first navigate La Liga’s stringent financial fair play regulations.
To fund the move, Barcelona is expected to offload several players. Julian Araujo is set to join Bournemouth, while Clement Lenglet, Mikayil Faye, and Vitor Roque could also be sold.
Barcelona’s interest in Williams is partly driven by their ambition to reunite him with Lamine Yamal, with whom he formed a formidable partnership during Spain’s Euro 2024 campaign. Yamal shone on the right flank, while Williams excelled on the left, scoring twice and providing one assist as Spain secured the title.
Last season, Williams made a significant impact for Athletic Bilbao, scoring eight goals and providing 19 assists in 37 appearances. His contributions were pivotal in Athletic’s Copa del Rey victory and their fifth-place finish in La Liga.
Grammy Award Winner, Burna Boy Opens Football Academy for Young Players Across Nigeria
Nigerian singer and Grammy Award winner Damini Ogulu, popularly known as Burna Boy, has officially launched a football academy with training centres in Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt.
Infographics about the academy surfaced online on Monday, revealing that the academy is open to young players aged 4–15 and those between 16 and 21 years old. According to the academy’s website, the initiative aims to “create an environment where kids can learn the fundamentals of football, combined with education, discipline, and technique, to excel in life beyond the sport.
” The academy also emphasizes the importance of engaging parents in sports education alongside academic pursuits.
The academy has secured partnerships with several prominent clubs, including English Premier League teams Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Leicester City, and Brighton, as well as Championship side Watford. Scottish clubs Hearts and Hamilton are also listed as partners.
The academy’s junior team operates from two centres in Lagos—Lekki and Surulere—as well as in Abuja and Port Harcourt. The training programmes run three days a week, with each session lasting two hours.
Interestingly, the academy appears to have been operational for some time, with the website listing the results of seven friendly matches: four wins, two losses, and a draw.
