Nico Williams has long been FC Barcelona's number one target for the transfer market, especially after his brilliant performances with Athletic Club. Barça is looking for a top-level winger who can complement its offensive trio formed by Raphinha, Lamine Yamal, and Robert Lewandowski. The young Athletic player, with his speed and ability to unbalance, seemed to be the ideal candidate to strengthen the culé forward line.
However, despite the growing interest in Athletic's '10', Hansi Flick has found a much closer solution and, according to him, of superior quality. The German coach has focused his attention on one of La Masia's gems, a jewel from the culé academy that is making a mark at the club: Dani Rodríguez. According to Mundo Deportivo, Flick is seriously considering the option of including the 19-year-old academy player in his first team.
Dani Rodríguez leaves no room for Nico Williams
Dani Rodríguez has been one of the most outstanding players in Barça's lower categories. In his short career, he has already made it clear that his talent is undeniable by winning the Under-19 European Championship last summer.
In that tournament, Dani Rodríguez was a key player, showing his dribbling ability, vision of the game, and skill in associating with his teammates. These qualities have made Hansi Flick notice him with serious intentions of giving him a chance in the first team.
The future of Dani Rodríguez at Barça seems closer than ever, and his debut with the first team is only a matter of time. The young winger has a profile that fits perfectly with Flick's playing style, who seeks versatile players with speed and dribbling ability. Dani Rodríguez possesses all these characteristics.
The curious thing about his story is that, in recent months, Dani Rodríguez has been very close to moving to Athletic Club. However, fate seems to have taken an unexpected turn, and now it is Dani Rodríguez who could close the doors to Nico Williams. If Flick makes room for him in the first team, Athletic's '10' will find it difficult to join the Catalan club's ranks.
With this decision, Hansi Flick has made it clear that he will not only focus on Nico Williams but also on the talents the club already has at home. Dani Rodríguez could be one of the great surprises of the season, and his success story at La Masia could be the beginning of a brilliant career at Barça.