Flick's plan to fit in Nico Williams

A year ago, Deco prioritized the arrival of Dani Olmo to strengthen the Blaugrana midfield. “I've always said that what we were missing was a playmaker, a player like Dani. That was our priority. We didn't have any midfielders with that ability to play between the lines,” he explained in an interview with La Vanguardia. “Let's not forget that Fermín was consolidating his position, Gavi was injured, and there was a different plan for Pedri. He was also coming off a year of many injuries, just like Frenkie de Jong. So we prioritized Olmo over a winger,” he added.

This summer, the priorities are different and focused on signing a winger to give the duo of Lamine Yamal and Raphinha a rest, but also to provide Barça with more options. “ Football is dynamic. We thought Ferran Torres could play as a winger because that was always his position. But that's changed. Ferran is becoming a number nine,” Deco explained, as one of the main arguments for signing Nico Williams.

Football is dynamic. We thought Ferran Torres could play as a winger because that's always been his position. But that's changed. Ferran is becoming a number nine. Deco

The agreement with the 22-year-old Athletic Club player is complete. He will sign for the next six seasons under the same terms agreed last year: a salary of between €6 and €7 million net per season. To secure his services, Barcelona will pay a €58 million buyout clause. With taxes, the figure rises to €64 million. The club will not pay the clause until it can secure the registration of the youngest Williams brother.

With Lamine Yamal and Williams on the wings, Raphinha would focus on the attacking midfielder position.

But his fit has already been discussed and studied with Hansi Flick. Last week, on an express trip, Deco and Bojan Krkic flew to Ibiza to speak with the coach, who is spending the summer at his home in Formentera. He gave the green light to Nico's arrival and they brought out the whiteboard to assess Barcelona's options with his signing. In the eyes of Deco and Flick, last season Barça was too dependent on Raphinha and Lamine Yamal. The coaching staff and the sporting committee believe that, when they are not there, the team's performance declines. Alternatives included the aforementioned Ferran Torres, evolving into a center forward, and Pau Víctor, another number nine for whom a move will be sought. There was also Ansu Fati, who has had numerous problems and injuries, failing to perform at the level expected of him, and who will also be on his way out.

The German coach invites his staff to Formentera

Hansi Flick has been spending his summers in Formentera for years. The coach wanted to extend a special treat for his coaching staff, inviting them to the island. He rented several rooms for one night in a hotel with sea views located among the dunes of Migjorn beach. It was a gesture the coach wanted to make to celebrate with his staff the important success achieved this season, in which the men's first team won La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and also the Spanish Super Cup. In addition to his coaching staff, Flick also invited Thiago Alcántara, who spent the entire weekend. It's worth remembering that the elder Alcántara hung up his boots at 33, and Barcelona hired him for a one-month internship to join Flick's staff, whom he knew well from his time at Bayern Munich. Thiago lived in Liverpool, and for tax reasons, his contract couldn't be extended. During his stay, he focused on the development of the midfielders, and when it ended, Barça brought in Arnau Blanco, a youth coach, to assist Flick. A return for the elder Alcántara has not been ruled out.

Flick's plan envisions Nico Williams positioned on the left wing and Lamine Yamal on the right, opening up the pitch further to increase the chances of creating unbalance and scoring chances. In this scheme, the connection between both wingers and the speedy full-backs Alejandro Balde and Jules Koundé would be essential, providing an additional resource for overcoming dense opposing defenses.

Read also Deco: “If Nico gets along with Lamine, so much the better, but this isn’t a club of friends.” Juan Bautista Martínez, Anaïs Martí Herrero

The most affected by this system change would be Raphinha. But there is a plan for the Brazilian, who actually reached his peak scoring prominence playing in the center. Therefore, the intention is to give him more freedom of movement in a more central position. Thus, when he overlaps with Nico, his position would be moved to the attacking midfielder, to the detriment of Dani Olmo. But there is also another project for the Terrassa native, whom some see as a false center forward.

Flick wants to give Olmo more prominence as a false nine and is also thinking about Ferran Torres.

Barcelona continues to highly value Robert Lewandowski, the team's top scorer with 42 goals last season. However, they are also aware that the Pole will turn 37 on August 21 and has one more year on his contract. While continuing to count on him, given his obvious goal-scoring prowess, Flick's intention is for Lewandowski to gradually fade away. Instead, they are considering Dani Olmo: "Olmo already played as a false nine last season. And it worked out," Deco recalled during the 5-1 Copa del Rey tie against Betis .

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They also have Ferran Torres, whose development is viewed favorably in the squad. They especially value his work pressing and recovering balls. The player from Foios performed strongly last season, scoring 19 goals in total. He started out as Flick's center forward in the Copa del Rey and took Lewandowski's place when the Pole suffered a muscle injury that sidelined him for 17 days, missing five matches. A puzzle with several solutions.