€60m star desperate to join Barcelona after Nico Williams snub

Tom Weber

• Updated: 29 Jul 2024 19:02 BST
• 3 min read

'Unlike Nico Williams,' Dani Olmo is desperate to join Barcelona, according to Spanish media.

The Blaugrana look increasingly likely to miss out on their absolute priority target. Though Barcelona will retain hope of being able to sign Athletic Club superstar Williams until he officially communicates his decision, there are now suggestions that he has decided to stay in Bilbao.

If this indeed turns out to be the case, he will be rewarded with another bumper new contract despite having only penned fresh terms in the winter. Even Fabrizio Romano, though not confirming that Williams will stay, has acknowledged that it is very difficult for players who grew up in the Basque country to leave their boyhood clubs.

READ MORE: Nico Williams makes final transfer decision to keep promise

Nothing is set in stone yet, but Barcelona are preparing for the eventuality of having to move on from the 22-year-old. RB Leipzig star Olmo, whom they initially wanted to sign alongside Williams, is set to assume the role of their new top target - and the player is keen.

Olmo wants Barca

According to Romano, Barcelona are in constant dialogue with Olmo's representatives and Leipzig to try and strike a deal. Last week, a low opening offer was immediately rebuffed by the German side, who are willing to let the Spaniard return home for a fee in the region of €60 million - the value of his erstwhile release clause.

It has long since been known that the La Masia graduate is keen to show Barcelona that they were wrong not to bet on him when he was a teenager. Mundo Deportivo has now reiterated that Olmo is very keen indeed on joining the Blaugrana.

READ MORE: Arsenal make €50m bid to UNLOCK Nico Williams situation

The report states that 'unlike Nico Williams,' Dani Olmo has been 'very clear that his top priority' is a return to Barcelona this summer. Olmo is willing to snub potentially more lucrative transfers to Bayern Munich or the Premier League in favour of heading back to Catalunya.