Barcelona officials were unhappy with Williams’s agent, Félix Tainta, who they felt was being unnecessarily difficult in negotiations and delaying a final agreement over a summer transfer. One unnamed member of staff at Barcelona is said to have sent a private message to Williams urging him to cut ties with Tainta.

Barcelona are reportedly in the final stages of agreeing a loan deal to sign Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford, with a buy option included, according to The Athletic's David Ornstein.