The pursuit of Nico Williams by Barcelona has ignited a fierce conflict with Athletic Club, with tensions escalating over the potential transfer of the Spanish international winger. Barcelona's interest in Williams for the second consecutive summer has been met with staunch resistance from Athletic, who are unwilling to negotiate the sale of their star player. This leaves Barcelona with the option of triggering Williams' release clause, reportedly set at €62 million, a figure adjusted for inflation from the initial €58 million.
Barcelona's financial situation adds another layer of complexity to the situation. The club has struggled to comply with La Liga's strict financial fair-play rules, raising questions about their ability to register new signings without offloading players first. Athletic Club has taken a firm stance, denying any agreement to ease Williams' exit and insisting on adherence to the release clause. The Basque club has also expressed displeasure with Barcelona's public pursuit of Williams, further straining the relationship between the two clubs.
Adding fuel to the fire, Barcelona sporting director Deco publicly discussed Williams' potential transfer, claiming the player had expressed his desire to join Barcelona. This prompted Athletic Club to request La Liga and the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) to examine Barcelona's financial situation. Athletic President Jon Uriarte also met with La Liga President Javier Tebas to discuss Barcelona's ability to sign players. In response to Athletic's actions, Barcelona President Joan Laporta voiced his disappointment, stating that each club should focus on their own affairs. Laporta assured fans that Barcelona is working towards complying with La Liga's 1:1 spending rule, which requires clubs to only spend what they generate in revenue, suggesting they are taking steps to be able to sign players normally.
Athletic Club has made it clear that they will not facilitate Williams' exit and have dismissed claims of a verbal agreement. They are prepared to fight to keep the winger, who has a contract until 2027. The club believes that Barcelona has not complied with the league's 1:1 rule and will call on La Liga to prevent any transfer until Barcelona proves they can meet the criteria. Williams has reportedly communicated to Athletic that he wants to leave for Barcelona, but Athletic insists they have not reached any agreement for him to leave this summer.
The conflict between Barcelona and Athletic Club has become a heated battle, with both clubs digging in their heels. The transfer tug-of-war threatens to become increasingly contentious as Barcelona seeks to bolster its squad and Athletic Club aims to retain its key player. The coming weeks will be crucial in determining whether Barcelona can overcome the financial hurdles and Athletic's resistance to secure the signing of Nico Williams.
