Athletic won’t back down: this is how they plan to block Nico Williams move to Barça

Published New:25/06/2025 - 20:32h

Updated New:25/06/2025 - 20:33h

Negotiations for Nico Williams Complicated: Athletic Insists on Scrutinizing Barça's Move

Athletic Club remains determined to do everything possible to prevent Nico Williams from joining FC Barcelona. Recently, it was revealed that the Basque team intends to carry out a strategic maneuver to slow down the operation.

According to journalist Dani Garrido on SER Deportivos, the top management of Athletic Club, led by Jon Uriarte and general manager Jon Berastegui, made an appearance in Madrid. Beyond attending a matter related to the Liga F, they also went to "demand information at the highest level," based on the public statements of Javier Tebas, who asserted that the culé team does not comply with the 1:1 rule. Therefore, they plan a thorough audit of the Catalan team's financial operations.

Nico Williams in the match between Athletic Club and Rangers in the UEFA Champions League 2024/25

In that vein, Radio Bilbao pointed out that Athletic is willing, if necessary, to go into direct confrontation with Barcelona. They will not be satisfied only with Barça paying the full release clause of the player; they will also demand that LaLiga and the Federation do not allow the transfer while the club does not strictly comply with current regulations.

Nico Williams has already communicated his desire to play for Barcelona

One more maneuver from an Athletic Club that seeks to "defend its interests to the end", showing itself determined to keep Nico Williams in its team, despite the player's position already being quite clear: his desire is to join FC Barcelona this summer.

A decision that his agent, Félix Tainta, has already formally communicated to the 'Lions', a team that initially was not going to put up major obstacles if Barcelona paid the release clause.

However, although the culé team is in a position to pay the clause soon, it now seems willing to delay the operation as much as possible, generating greater tension in already quite heated relations between both institutions.

Will the 'Nico Williams soap opera' be extended?

Will the Nico Williams soap opera extend throughout the summer market or will it be an issue that is resolved quickly? We'll have to see. For now, Athletic continues to not resign itself to a reality that feels imminent and promises to put up a fight to retain its star player, whom it apparently tried to seduce by offering a very substantial financial contract renewal.

An insufficient argument for a Nico who seems to dream of wearing the Barça jersey and joining an ambitious sports project. A team with options to fight for titles, mentored by one of the best coaches in the world, Hansi Flick, and sharing the field with stellar players like Lamine Yamal, with whom he has already demonstrated a great relationship and chemistry on the field.