Nico Williams was not originally Barcelona's top transfer target this summer. The Athletic Bilbao forward had been blacklisted by Barça president Joan Laporta after abruptly going radio silent during contract talks last summer. However, this summer, the Spanish forward's agent proactively approached Barça, expressing his client's willingness to join, prompting the club to revisit the transfer.
Camel Live reports that after Nico Williams conveyed his intentions to Barça sporting director Deco via his agent in early June, the club began seriously evaluating the move. On one hand, Barça believed the player was genuinely eager to join, even at a cost; on the other, the 20-year-old (six years younger than Luis Díaz) offered an age advantage.
But when translating verbal commitments into a written contract, the situation deteriorated. Nico's agent demanded a clause stating the player could leave freely if registration failed. Barça deemed this absurd, fearing the €62 million transfer fee could be wasted, and promptly rejected the demand.
Through negotiations, Barça's team sensed Nico seemed more interested in playing with his Spanish international teammates at Barça rather than fulfilling a genuine dream to join the club. Additionally, the forward had previously told media he hoped to play alongside Kylian Mbappé. Last weekend before his renewal, talks stalled as Nico insisted on finalizing the transfer by July 6 to avoid Athletic's pre-season activities.
Camel Live reported the deal's collapse last Tuesday, emphasizing Barça's refusal to sign off on concession clauses. During the standoff, Barça explicitly told the agent they would not accept risks that could leave the club empty-handed. Nico's camp responded they would consult family before deciding. In any case, a week before the final rejection, Barça had grown weary of Nico and his agent, citing constant delays and impossible demands that raised suspicions.
Ultimately, Nico officially renewed with Athletic for 10 years last week, closing the door on a Barça move permanently.
