In one of the more unexpected moments of the week, Russian Premier League side Zenit Saint Petersburg have explained why they were "happy to help" Barcelona in their pursuit of Nico Williams.
Barcelona are on the verge of signing Williams from Athletic Bilbao after the Catalan side agreed personal terms with the Spain international over a six-year deal.
However, there are still a number of obstacles to overcome before the player can officially join Barca, according to the BBC's Guillem Balague.
Athletic are adamant that his €62 million (£53m) release clause must be paid in full and Barcelona are happy to activate, but they are expected to propose a payment structure in instalments.
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"Bilbao is at loggerheads with Barca, and despite the player's desire for a friendly exit, everything points to the Bilbao side clinging to the clause and its full payment through La Liga," claim Spanish publication SPORT.
Amid the ongoing transfer saga, Russian side Zenit Saint Petersburg have donated some money towards the signing as they wrote on TikTok: "For Nico Williams from Zenit."
The donation certainly raised eyebrows but after a Barcelona fan account posted a screenshot of the donation on X, the Zenit admin gave an insight into the gift-giving exercise, commenting: "You gave us Malcom, so happy to help!"
Brazilian winger Malcom joined Zenit from Barcelona in 2019 for a reported £36.5 million. He only scored four goals in 24 appearances for the La Liga club before making the switch to Saint Petersburg.
He would go on to make over 100 appearances for Zenit and was the Russian Premier League's top scorer in 2022/23 as they were crowned champions.
The 28-year-old winger was sold to Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal in 2023 for around €60 million.
If he does move, then Williams will have competition for a starting spot after Raphinha made the position his own during Barca's league-winning exploits last season.
He could also share the same pitch with Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford, who has been linked with a move to the Camp Nou this summer.
In fact, Mundo Deportivo suggest Rashford is still interested in a switch to the Spanish club and “believes his arrival is compatible with that of Nico Williams because he can occupy all three attacking positions and could be a good alternative to Lewandowski."
Thoughts on Williams' potential move to Barcelona? Let us know in the comments.
Topics: Barcelona, Zenit, Transfers, Spain, Athletic Bilbao
Jack Kenmare