Recent talks between the parties have become more intense, and Nico has even expressed his preference for joining Barcelona to his Spain teammates while away with the national team. He's willing to turn down more lucrative offers from top clubs like Arsenal and Bayern Munich in the process.

Despite his desire to move to Barcelona, the road ahead remains challenging. The buyout clause in Nico's contract is set at €58 million, plus an additional €6 million in taxes, which makes it difficult for Barca to afford the total sum of €64 million upfront.

Athletic Club is not open to discussing installment payments, and the tense relationship between the two clubs has been complicated by issues such as the Negreira case and disagreements over transfer market strategies.

Additionally, Barcelona has already invested €25 million in signing Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia and must make a significant sale to comply with financial fair play regulations. This sale is necessary before the Nico transfer can be approved.

For now, Nico remains an attractive target for Barcelona, but the situation is still distant and uncertain.