Athletic Club has issued a powerful statement over Nico Williams, as tensions rise with FC Barcelona over a potential transfer.
Athletic Club has categorically denied having any agreement in place to ease their star winger’s exit, and tensions are rising around FC Barcelona’s possible transfer of Nico Williams.
Diario Sport has claimed that relations between the two clubs have become strained, with Athletic insisting they adhere to the player’s contractual €62 million release clause (it was €58 million and has recently been adjusted for inflation), as reported by Diario Sport.
The Basque club has specifically rejected claims they agreed on anything verbal to ease Williams’ exit, as Athletic reported agreed to his new contract through to 2027, and they are making clear there will be no arrangements or favours offered to Barcelona, especially given their institutional relationship isn’t good.
The 22-year-old Spanish international is naturally on Barcelona’s radar, and has reportedly agreed personally with the Catalans, in light of the fact with Spanish national teammates at Camp Nou.
However, Athletic’s ceremonious attitude, likely as a result of past grievances and Barcelona publicly pursuing Williams above other conflicts, complicates any negotiations.
For example, Athletic president Jon Uriarte refused to congratulate Barcelona’s Joan Laporta last season on winning La Liga, demonstrating how relationships are at an all-time low.
Barcelona’s pursuit of Williams will be complicated by their precarious finances, and even if they made player sales, it is questionable whether they could pay the player’s release clause and salary cap.
Williams could easily have gone to Bayern Munich, but he was not interested, nor were Athletic offering him money; he turned them down as well.
While the transfer window is closing, there is this amazing saga where Williams is likely to be a talented winger available and the dynamics are dominated by historic rivalries, where Athletic is now keen to make sure that Williams makes it as hard as possible for Barcelona to take him.
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