Xavi obsessed with Manchester City target, wants Barcelona to sign him this summer - Reports

According to Relevo journalist Alex Pintanel, Barcelona manager Xavi is obsessed with Manchester City target Nico Williams and wants the Catalan club to sign the Athletic Bilbao star.

Williams, a Spain international, has been a key player for Bilbao this season. He has made 35 appearances across competitions, scoring seven goals and racking up an impressive 16 assists.

Williams, known for his pacey wing play, has become a wanted commodity in European football. AS reported in November 2023 that clubs like Manchester City and Real Madrid are also in the race for the youngster. Arsenal have also emerged as a recent potential suitor for Williams.

Xavi reportedly is very impressed by the player and wants Barcelona to step up in their pursuit of Williams. The 21-year-old is contracted with Bilbao until the end of the 2026-27 season and has an estimated market value of €50 million.

Williams has already represented Spain 13 times in his young career, scoring twice and providing four assists. The race for Williams could heat up in the summer if he can have an impactful Euro 2024 with his national team.

Barcelona manager Xavi speaks about transfer plans

Barcelona manager Xavi has spoken about his team's plannings in the upcoming summer transfer window. FFP rules have caused Barca to slow down in the market in recent seasons.

They have been able to add only free agents and on-loan players, with a few coming in for bargain deals. Xavi has now spoken about the upcoming window, saying (via Barca Universal):

"We will decide with the fair play but it's not the time to respond. The president and Deco are positive but the economic issue will mark out sports planning."

Barca's arch-rivals, Real Madrid, have already secured a deal for Brazilian wonderkid Endrick. Kylian Mbappe is expected to join on a free transfer. Fans will keep a keen eye on Barca's response to those high-profile transfers.