Barcelona planning to use ‘Lewandowski Formula’ to sign Nico Williams – report

Barcelona’s move for Nico Williams has become the subject of such heavy speculation that it’s almost a foregone conclusion that one of the stars of Spain’s Euro 2024 campaign will be a Blaugrana next season.

But there have been no formal negotiations between the Catalans and Athletic Bilbao yet, and the Basque club will certainly not let go of one of their most exciting prospects easily. But there is a release clause of around €50 million in Nico’s contract, one that it appears Barça can afford to pay to begin the talks.

Discussions between all parties are expected to escalate next week after the conclusion of the European Championships, in which Nico will hope to lift the trophy alongside possible future teammates in Lamine Yamal, Pedri, Ferran Torres and Fermín López, and Barça have already begun preparing the framework of Williams’ contract.

That’s according to Mundo Deportivo, who claim the Blaugrana will use a similar formula they used to sign Robert Lewandowski two years ago: Nico will be offered a five-year contract with a lower base salary in the first two seasons, and then a big spike in wages will occur starting in the third year.

Lewandowski’s contract is set to rise this summer, which is why the club is reportedly willing to sell the striker to avoid having to pay such high wages. But Williams is much younger and expected to contribute for a lot longer, which is why the salary spike in Year 3 makes more sense when Barça will be expected to be in much better shape after returning to Camp Nou, paying their massive existing debts and getting more sponsorship money from the likes of Nike.

It seem as though Nico Williams will be a Barça player next season unless something crazy happens, and the Catalans are already taking all the steps necessary to accelerate the process of signing one of Spain’s hottest prospects.