President Joan Laporta opens up about Nico Williams, Deco’s role, and the final decision to sign Rashford:
Laporta revealed that the initial approach for Nico Williams didn’t actually come from Barcelona. Instead, it was Nico’s own agent who initiated contact, actively offering the player to Barça. At the time, Laporta admitted he had other names at the top of his list — he wasn’t particularly pushing for Nico. His preference leaned toward different profiles or possibly more established names. But Deco, the club’s sporting director, played a key role here.
Deco, known for his assertive and pragmatic style, insisted that Nico was worth looking at — a fast, technically gifted winger who could bring depth and youth to the squad. Respecting Deco’s judgment, Laporta agreed to engage in preliminary talks. However, it was made clear that Barcelona would not allow negotiations to drag on or spiral out of control. Deco set a 48-hour ultimatum for Nico’s camp: either agree to the club’s financial and structural terms within two days, or the deal was off.
As negotiations unfolded, things quickly got complicated. What had initially seemed like a straightforward deal started shifting. The terms Nico’s camp had originally proposed — including the transfer fee, agent commissions, payment installments, and performance-related bonuses — all changed. According to Laporta, the “big difference” between the initial offer and the revised terms created frustration and signaled red flags. The deal, once promising, became “unlikely” to go through.
Simultaneously, Barcelona continued to pursue two other targets more aggressively: Luis Díaz and Marcus Rashford. Luis Díaz was admired by Laporta for his versatility, intensity, and end product, but negotiations with Liverpool were difficult, as the English club was not open to selling. Despite Díaz’s own interest in the move, the deal stalled due to Liverpool’s firm stance and likely high asking price.
Then came Marcus Rashford. Over time, as Manchester United’s internal situation became more unstable and the player’s own openness to a new challenge grew, Rashford’s availability became more realistic. Laporta, who had always favored Rashford’s profile — a dynamic, world-class forward with leadership potential — saw this as the ideal outcome. Deco and the technical staff aligned with this view, and the deal was ultimately completed.
