The Catalan club's interest isn't new of course, given that it was believed the 22-year-old was a major transfer target in the wake of Spain's European Championship final victory over England in 2024.
President Joan Laporta even hinted at Williams' imminent arrival this week when speaking to the Senate, a group of 1,000 of Barcelona's most senior members.
"We’re on the verge of making an imminent signing," he said.
"We’ll surely be able to sign another player who excites us a lot. We have a fluid relationship with LaLiga right now, and that’s why I think we’ll be able to announce new signings.”
LaLiga could scupper Barca's transfer plans... again
A six-year deal on wages of approximately €7-8m has been mooted, and all that seems left to do in order to rubber stamp the deal from Barcelona's perspective is to pay the player's release clause.
LaLiga may still have something to say about any deal, just as they did when Barca tried to sign Dani Olmo last summer.
In Spain, all clubs need to adhere to what is known as the 1:1 rule where you can invest all the money you earn on players, but the governing body will still only allow registration of a player when the club doesn't exceed their salary cap limit - which appears to be the case with Barcelona again at present, despite Laporta's bullish statement.
Javier Tebas, president of LaLiga, has been rigid in his insistence that this rule is adhered to, and it sounds likely he will be doing the same again.
“Barcelona are not currently under the 1:1 rule," he told reporters at a recent event.
"They still have to do some things to be able to register players. Not many things, but still some things, and they know what they are.”
Is it good business for Barca to sign Nico Williams?
Assuming that the negotiations end in a successful conclusion, Barca will have seen off the likes of Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Chelsea and Newcastle United, all of whom were interested in giving Williams a new home.
But what is it that marks him out amongst his contemporaries and are an apparently cash-strapped Barcelona doing good business by attempting to add him to their first-team squad?
Firstly, pace has always frightened defenders and Williams has it in abundance. Direct running at his opponent is also guaranteed to have them on the back foot from the get-go.
Despite that evident gift, only eight goals scored and six assists delivered in 40 games for club and country during the 2024/25 campaign isn't the best, especially when compared with those players likely to have to rotate to accommodate him - unless Hansi Flick has other plans.
Raphinha and Lamine must be first choice out wide
Raphinha's 21 goals and 14 assists for Barca was an incredible return for the Brazilian, closely followed by Lamine Yamal's 13 goals and 18 assists in what was also a stunning campaign for the 17-year-old.
A 79.2% pass accuracy in LaLiga for Williams last season would also need to be improved upon significantly if he wants to be considered as a valuable member of the first-team squad.
Of the 28 tackles made during the LaLiga season, 18 were won for a 64.3% return in the Spanish top-flight. Winning possession back on 96 separate occasions shows a defensive willingness, but the sacrifices he will need to make on the pitch on a much more regular basis if he is to survive in the current Barcelona squad will be multiplied.
No one doubts his quality, of course, and at a reported fee of just €63m, if Williams does indeed fulfil his promise, then Barcelona will absolutely have bagged themselves a bargain.
Moreover, the player gets to spend what are expected to be the best years of his career at the current best club in the country, and even when his contract expires, he will still be just 28 years of age.
Where exactly will Nico Williams slot in at Barca?
Another potential issue is a tactical one, and it relates to where Flick does actually see Williams playing.
Currently, for both Athletic Club and Spain, he comes in off the left-hand side, but that's a role that Raphinha played with aplomb in 24/25, and Williams certainly isn't going to displace Barca's main man, Lamine.
Perhaps the German tactician is mindful of how successful Barca could be by having Raphinha playing down the middle and just behind Robert Lewandowski.
The Pole is a lot less mobile than he used to be, but with three willing runners to do the bulk of the work for him in what should be his final season at Barca, Lewy's numbers should continue on an upward trajectory.
It would also require one less midfielder for such a system to work which brings its own issues, particularly given how brittle Barca have looked at the back at times, but they are arguments for another day perhaps.
An entire Barca squad made up of Spaniards?
In the meantime, Barca supporters can ponder the thought of potentially fielding an entirely Spanish XI next season if Williams is added to a list which includes Joan Garcia, Eric Garcia, Pau Cubarsi, Alejandro Balde, Inigo Martinez, Hector Fort, Gerard Martin, Marc Bernal, Marc Casado, Pablo Torre, Pedri, Dani Olmo, Gavi, Fermin Lopez, Ferran Torres, Pau Victor, and Lamine.
It's also worth asking the question as to whether Barca do actually need him or if the signing is part of the Joan Laporta vanity project and an attempt to raise his popularity amongst the club's fan base.
