Laporta on Rashford’s Signing and Transfer Market Decisions:
“The transfer to bring in Marcus Rashford was far more complex than resolving our goalkeeping situation. That deal stirred up a lot of opinions from many different corners—everyone had something to say. We were evaluating several possibilities, and I’m genuinely pleased that, in the end, we secured the player I personally preferred the most.
Luis Díaz was also high on my list. He’s an extremely well-rounded player, someone who could have added a lot to the team. However, negotiations with Liverpool proved very difficult. Despite the fact that Luis was consistently open to the idea of joining us, Liverpool’s firm stance made any potential move nearly impossible. I’m grateful for Luis’s willingness, but sometimes external circumstances just don’t allow for progress.
As for Nico Williams, his name entered the conversation once we saw how difficult it was becoming to sign Díaz and while we were actively negotiating for Rashford. Nico’s agent came to us with a proposal to bring him to Barça. Deco immediately informed me of the situation. Initially, I was inclined to stay focused on Rashford and Díaz, but I always value the input of our sporting director.
Deco advised that we at least listen to the proposal, especially given Nico’s profile as a pacey and dynamic winger. Talks began, but we quickly realized there were major discrepancies—what we were initially told didn’t match the actual demands. There were serious issues regarding the structure of the payment, the agent’s commission, and other financial variables. It became clear that the deal wasn’t viable under our conditions.
Deco imposed a strict 48-hour deadline: if Nico’s camp didn’t accept our terms within that window, we’d walk away. And that’s exactly what happened—the deal fell through.
Meanwhile, our team kept working behind the scenes to advance other options, and bit by bit, the Rashford situation began to align in our favor.”
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