Barcelona president frustrated with relentless fan questions about priority transfer

In the early days of Barcelona’s interest in Nico Williams, optimism was high among both the club’s leadership and its fans. Club president Joan Laporta further fueled this excitement by stating that signing the Spanish international was feasible. 

He assured that Barcelona had the financial resources necessary to make the deal happen and this led fans to eagerly anticipate the official announcement of Nico’s signing.

The enthusiasm from the fans was completely understood. They were not satisfied with just the information trickling out from the media and social networks. They craved more details and preferred hearing directly from Joan Laporta himself. 

Fans approached Laporta

Interestingly, a report from AS confirms that this sparked a subtle campaign where every time a fan encountered Laporta, they would inquire about Nico. 

Initially, Laporta handled these questions with humour, often responding with phrases like “We’re going to try,” “Let’s see,” or “He’s good, eh?” 

However, in recent weeks, the narrative has shifted noticeably. Laporta’s responses have become less reassuring when asked about the transfer. 

Nico Williams is yet to decide on his future. (Photo by JAVIER SORIANO/AFP via Getty Images)

This change in tone could be due to a feeling within the club that the deal might not be as straightforward as initially thought, or perhaps they have received new, complicated information. 

Regardless of the reason, the enthusiasm surrounding the potential signing has significantly waned.

Fans are impatient

During Barcelona’s recent tour, the frequency of fans asking Laporta about Nico increased, to the point where Laporta began to avoid fans more often. 

He seemed aware that every interaction would inevitably include questions about Nico. For instance, just this past Friday, as Laporta was signing a fan’s Blaugrana jersey outside the team’s hotel, he was asked again about Nico. 

His response was telling: “I’m going to tell you…” This vague and unfinished reply highlighted the growing tension within the club regarding the situation.

The nervousness among Barcelona’s management is evident. They are acutely aware that the expectations of the club’s members have been significantly raised. 

Any failed operation, especially one as highly anticipated as the signing of Nico, would be perceived as a major failure by the fanbase.