Barcelona’s Ballon d’Or candidate could return in a midfield role if La Liga winger joins this summer | OneFootball

There is much hype and tension surrounding Barcelona’s pursuit of Nico Williams, who is ready to join the club in a big-money deal from Athletic Club.

Although the deal is far from done, Barça are planning to activate the player’s €62 million release clause this week, perhaps as soon as tomorrow.

Nico’s potential arrival at Camp Nou could bring forth a series of changes in Catalonia, especially from a tactical perspective.

Raphinha to move to midfield on Nico arrival

A recent report from Diario SPORT has offered some key insights into the potential tactical ramifications of Nico’s arrival at Camp Nou.

As per the report, the signing could lead to a surprising positional change for Raphinha, with the Brazilian potentially being deployed in midfield.

Raphinha may return to a midfield role if Nico joins the club (Photo by Ricardo Moreira/Getty Images)

The logic is straightforward: with Nico Williams on the left and Lamine Yamal on the right, Raphinha’s regular starting spot on the wing would be under threat.

To accommodate all three attacking talents, Hansi Flick could look for a creative solution, and moving the former Ballon d’Or nominee into an interior midfield role is a serious consideration.

This tactical switch would leverage Raphinha’s high work rate, creativity, and powerful shot from distance, attributes that could translate well to a more central position.

However, it would also add another body to an already overbooked midfield, which boasts talents like Frenkie de Jong, Gavi, Pedri, Fermin Lopez, and the returning Marc Bernal.

Interestingly, though, Marc Casado has been recently linked with a move away from Camp Nou amid interest from clubs such as Chelsea and Atletico Madrid.

Barcelona are even open to selling the young midfielder if they receive offers exceeding €30 million.