Raphinha welcomes Nico Williams to Barcelona, hails winger as ‘player of the highest quality'
Barcelona captain and attacking mainstay Raphinha has heaped praise on Blaugrana's potential big buy, Nico Williams from Athletic Club (Athletic Bilbao), and called him 'player of the highest quality' despite the potential battle between the two for a starting XI spot.
'Any player who comes to join the club is welcome. I think that anyone who comes with the mentality of arriving, working and striving for the good of the team is very welcome,' said Rapinha as quoted by Mundo Deportivo.
'It is no coincidence that he is being considered to play with us at Barcelona and that he plays in the senior Spanish national team. He is a player of the highest quality. He has a lot of level, a lot of quality,' he added.
Reportedly, Barcelona are closing in on a deal for Williams, an Athletic Club winger, with club president Joan Laporta confirming the team will pay Williams's €58m release clause.
'There's no room for sadness or depression about anything, with the arrival of one or another. As I said, any teammate who arrives intending to work hard to help the team will be very welcome, both by me and by the other players. That's the most important thing,' he shared.
It'll also be interesting to see how the Blaugrana will line up, considering Raphinha's switch to the left-wing role. If Williams's move from Athletic happens, then it will increase manager Hansi Flick's options in attack, which could see Raphinha deployed in a more central role next season.
Raphinha has excelled in the attacking triumvirate alongside Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal, scoring 34 goals and contributing 22 assists in all competitions in 2024/25.
Barcelona had a brilliant 2024-25 season, where they ended up winning the domestic treble under coach Hansi Flick in his first tenure. Besides winning their 28th La Liga title, Barca beat Real Madrid to win the Spanish Super Cup and the Copa del Rey.
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