Real Madrid Confidencial Freixa dodges responsibility after Nico Williams's failure, brutal catch with Rashford
The former Barça executive claims that the English winger is a better footballer than Nico Williams, the priority and failed signing
Toni Freixa has once again become a protagonist. The former Barça executive hasn't hesitated to react to Marcus Rashford's signing with a statement that has sparked controversy:
“Great news about Rashford's signing. He's an infinitely better player than Nico Williams.”
With that message, posted on “X” (formerly Twitter), Freixa is trying to gloss over what has been another failure in Barça's planning: Nico Williams not joining the club.
The truth is that Nico was the club's priority. Barça did everything possible to sign him, but the Spanish international decided to renew with Athletic until 2035. In addition, his new release clause rises to €90 million.
This is a blow for Joan Laporta and his board, who trusted they could finalize his signing after the Nations League. Nico's renewal was unexpected and exposed the Catalan club's financial limitations.
Freixa has tried to downplay the issue by praising Rashford. However, at heart, his words have been seen as an attempt to cover up the failed effort to sign Athletic's winger.
Rashford joins on loan because they don't have money
Rashford's signing, still pending official confirmation, also comes with fine print. According to Fabrizio Romano, Barça has reached a loan agreement with a purchase option. This isn't a long-term deal.
Rashford will arrive in Barcelona after an inconsistent season at Manchester United and Aston Villa, where he was loaned out. The idea is for him to regain his best form under Hansi Flick's guidance.
Still, in terms of planning, it's clear the club didn't achieve its number one goal. Nico was the desired player. His refusal dealt another hard blow to the sporting management.
The summer fiasco
With this move, many see a repeat of last summer's embarrassment, when Barça also failed in several key signings.
Laporta and Deco were strongly backing Nico and he didn't arrive. Instead, they've finalized Rashford. It's a high-profile signing, yes, but it doesn't hide the problem: Barça can't compete financially with the big clubs.
Meanwhile, Freixa tries to cover it up on social media. But the slip-up has been obvious.
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