Six alternatives to Nico Williams for Barcelona

With just over a week left before La Liga starts, Barcelona are still in desperate need of a left-winger to replace Nico Williams' intended role.

Barcelona's long-running transfer pursuit of the Athletic Club winger looks like ending in failure as the Spain star has returned to training with his boyhood club.

The Blaugrana have signed Dani Olmo, but the Spaniard is a no. 10 - so they are still in need of a proper left-winger to play opposite teenage sensation Lamine Yamal on the right.

With the window winding down and funds limited, here are six players that Barcelona could sign instead of Nico Williams.

READ MORE: Latest Barcelona transfer news

1. Luis DIaz

Before Euro 2024 propelled Nico Williams to the front of everybody's transfer wishlist, Barcelona were supposedly split on whether to go for him or Liverpool's Luis Diaz, with sporting director Deco preferring the Colombian.

Now Nico is out of the picture, eyes could once again turn back to Diaz as an alternative. The Colombian is physically reliable, playing 2,629 minutes in the Premier League last season. A dribbling sensation, he completed 67/140 take-ons which is close to Nico Williams' total of 86/193. He scored 8 goals (more than Nico) but had an xG total of 11.9, so with a calmer head he could have scored a lot more.

He'd be expensive, Liverpool would surely demand at least €50m in order to finance moves of their own, but Diaz would add a phenomenal and reliable dribbling presence to the Barça attack, the ideal compliment to Lamine Yamal.

READ MORE: Latest Barcelona transfer rumours

2. Kingsley Coman

Bayern Munich's speedy winger finally saw his title-winning streak snapped at 11 as Bayer Leverkusen won the Bundesliga. He's also seen himself slip down the pecking order to the point that Bayern would be open to a sale and according to Sky Germany, his agents have offered him to the Blaugrana.

Kingsley Coman wurde dem FC Barcelona angeboten. Sollte Wunschspieler Nico Williams nicht zu den Katalanen wechseln, könnte Coman zu einer Alternative werden.

Barça muss nach der Verpflichtung von Dani Olmo aber erst mehrere prominente Verkäufe tätigen, um sich überhaupt neue…

— Kerry Hau (@kerry_hau) August 8, 2024

Coman has worked with Barcelona coach Hansi Flick before at Bayern, scoring the winning goal in the 2020 Champions League final to secure the Treble for Flick. So there would be no problems in terms of chemistry and fitting in.

The main problem Barcelona would have with Coman (likely signing on loan) is that he is often plagued by injury issues. He's managed more than 1,500 minutes just three times in his nine season career with Bayern. Could he handle the load?

3. Federico Chiesa

Federico Chiesa's career has stalled, to the point where Juventus are open to selling the Euro 2020 star. Now 26 years-old, Chiesa has never scored more than 10 goals in a single league season, and he did that back 2019/20 with Fiorentina.

Chiesa's skill-set is obvious: he's quick and he can shoot superbly. He'd be a cut price option and Barcelona would be gambling a bit that his physical recovery after his 2021 ACL injury would be closer to completion - but it could be a gamble that pays off.

4. Jadon Sancho

Sancho lacks the explosive pace of the other options here but he makes up for that with sensational quality on the ball. Erik ten Hag is keen to offload the winger following his many woes, and his loan to Borussia Dortmund last season showed that he still has a lot to offer when removed from the cauldron of chaos that is Manchester United.

Could Hansi Flick get Sancho in shape and harness his formidable talent?

5. João Felix

João Felix started last season's loan at Barcelona in superb form. And in terms of sheer talent he is undoubtedly the best player on this list. But talent isn't everything and Felix is a frustratingly inconsistent presence, even with his talent he lost his starting spot by mid-season in Catalunya with only sporadic highlights littering a litany of lassaiz-faire outings.

Atlético Madrid would probably be keen to get rid of the winger, but would Barcelona be open to his return?

6. Dani Rodriguez

This is kind of a cheat option as he's already at Barcelona, but teenager Dani Rodriguez from La Masia may emerge as a genuine option to fill the role that was intended for Nico Williams in the Barcelona team.

The 18 year-old has just rejoined the Blaugrana squad having been one of the driving forces behind Spain winning the U-19 European Championships. The pint-sized phenom is a left-footed winger who can play on both flanks and possesses tremendous agility, balance and an explosive sprint speed.

Flick has already been impressed by La Masia, saying: "thank you to La Masia. What I’m seeing in the first training sessions, it’s unbelievable."

So we know he's open to incorporating these youngsters, and few look as ready to explode into the first-team picture as young Dani Rodriguez. If Lamine Yamal can do it, why not him?