The summer of 2025 has been complex for Nico Williams. After reactivating contacts with the board of FC Barcelona to try to close his signing for the azulgrana team, the player from Pamplona finally decided not only to reject the azulgrana offer, but also to renew with Athletic until 2035.
The 22-year-old forward had offers from other big clubs in England and France, but finally decided to stay in San Mamés. This, not without first receiving multiple criticisms and insults from a sector of the Bilbao fans. Since his 'no' to Barça, however, things have not been going well for the player and his team.
Nico Williams, disappeared in the Athletic preseason
While Hansi Flick's Barça shone on the Asian tour and the Joan Gamper, with an Lamine Yamal on fire (he was the top scorer of the preseason, with 4 goals and 1 assist), Nico completed a summer to forget with the 'lions'.
The '10' of Athletic not only went blank, without goals or assists, in the preseason with Athletic. In the last three matches, against Liverpool (2) and Arsenal, the player from Pamplona did not even complete a single dribble in the minutes he was on the pitch.
A symptom, this last one, very worrying, since his game is based on explosiveness and speed to create danger on the flank. The drop in performance of the youngest of the Williams with his club is not new, as in the 24/25 season he was not up to expectations either.
In total, Nico scored 11 goals and provided 7 assists in 45 matches (3,130 minutes) with Ernesto Valverde's team. Insufficient records to avoid a season without titles in San Mamés, although not entirely negative due to the team's qualification for the next Champions League.
Athletic closed a summer to forget, but is already aiming for LaLiga
This summer, however, Nico Williams' poor performance at least corresponds to Bilbao's bad collective moment. In their seven preseason friendlies, the Basques only added one victory against Ponferradina (1-0), a team from Primera RFEF.
Afterwards, they fell against Alavés (1-0), PSV Eindhoven (2-1), Racing de Santander (2-1), Liverpool (4-1 and 3-2) and Arsenal (3-0), the latter on Sunday in the Emirates Cup. The 'rojiblancos' debut in La Liga next Sunday against Sevilla (19:30 CEST). Will they be able to reverse their bad moment?
The team will also play in the Champions League for the first time since 14/15. In that season, the 'lions' were eliminated in the group stage and, despite entering the Europa League, they also fell in the round of 32 against Torino. This year, the club aims to overcome the league phase and stay in the upper zone of LaLiga.