Barcelona’s Pursuit of Nico Williams

 

FC Barcelona has turned its attention to Athletic Bilbao’s dynamic winger Nico Williams, 22, amid the club’s ongoing search for attacking reinforcements. Williams – the speedy left‐footed wideman who broke into Athletic’s first team in 2021 and helped Spain win Euro 2024 – is now the subject of intense summer chatter. One report notes that the young Spaniard “plays as a winger for La Liga club Athletic Bilbao” and “is recognized for his speed and dribbling skills.” Barcelona reportedly view Williams as a natural left-sided forward who could add pace and creativity to the attack.

Player Background

Nico Williams (born 2002) is a Spanish international who developed in Athletic Bilbao’s famed academy alongside his brother Iñaki. He made his senior debut in 2021 and quickly became known for electric dribbling and endurance on the wing. By 2024 he had earned a place in Spain’s national team, even scoring and earning Man of the Match honors in the Euro 2024 final. Standing 1.81 m tall, the right-footed Williams typically plays as a left winger (wearing the No. 10 at Athletic) and has been praised for his ability to stretch defenses with pace. Observers note that his blend of speed and directness – “speed, dribbling, and ability to pull or stretch a defence” – fits the profile of players the club is targeting.

Barcelona’s Interest

Barcelona’s interest in Williams is not entirely new. Last summer they explored signing Williams, but ultimately shelved the move due to financial and registration constraints. Now, with the sporting director prioritizing a left‐wing addition alongside the new coach’s plans, Williams has re-emerged as a candidate. Reports state that a meeting took place on June 13, 2025 – specifically, “his agent, Félix Tainta, traveled this Friday to Barcelona to meet” the sporting director – to express Williams’ desire to join Barcelona. In that meeting the message was reportedly clear: Nico “is crazy to play in Blaugrana” (Spanish: “loco por jugar de azulgrana”). Another source echoed this, stating that Williams “wants to go to Barcelona” and is giving “priority to Barça” over other suitors. According to this source, Barcelona must now decide whether to make the push for him (alongside targets like Luis Díaz or Marcus Rashford) and how to structure any deal.

Recent Reports and Updates

Several credible reports over the past 48 hours have added detail to the Williams story. Key points from those reports include:

• Agent’s Visit: Williams’ agent met with the sporting director on June 13 to deliver the player’s clear interest in a move to Camp Nou. One report specifically notes that the agent “viajó este viernes a Barcelona para verse con Deco” (traveled to Barcelona this Friday to meet) and conveyed that Williams “está loco por jugar de azulgrana” – literally “is crazy to play as a Blaugrana.”

• Player’s Stance: According to reports, Williams has already signaled his preference. One journalist reports “Nico Williams wants to go to Barcelona,” making it clear the 22-year-old prefers Barca to other interested clubs. An article cited the same update, noting that other clubs “are aware that the player is giving his priority to Barça” and that Barcelona now has to decide whether to pursue him.

• Competition: Despite Williams’ preference, competition is stiff. Both Arsenal and Bayern Munich remain in the race. One report emphasizes that Arsenal and Bayern “are also pursuing Williams.” Bayern is said to view him as a top target, and the club’s sporting director even declined to comment on recent news of Barcelona’s involvement.

• Release Clause: Athletic Bilbao insists on selling Williams for his full release clause. The clause is €58 million plus inflation (around €62–64m total). One report stresses that “Athletic Club refuses to negotiate and points solely to the release clause.” Barça would have to pay that amount upfront, a financial hurdle given their budget constraints.

• Barça Targets: Barcelona’s top choice remains Liverpool winger Luis Díaz (price-tag reportedly €60m+). But with Liverpool reportedly unwilling to sell below €60m, Barca is keeping options open. Reports note that if the Díaz deal stalls, Williams or even Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford are under consideration. One quote says the club “don’t want to close any alternative like Nico or even the English Marcus Rashford,” who “is also crazy to wear Blaugrana.”

These points are drawn from the latest media coverage and transfer analysis over the past two days.

Financial and Other Obstacles

Despite the interest, significant obstacles remain. Barcelona’s finances are tight and the Athletic deal would be an all-cash purchase. As reported, paying a large release fee upfront is a “significant financial burden” for Barça. Athletic is not interested in a payment plan or installment structure – they demand the full clause right away. Barcelona is already stretched: the club has just triggered a €25m clause for Espanyol goalkeeper Joan García, and the French LaLiga limit means they must register any new arrival under strict Fair Play rules. Insiders quote Barca executives saying “it’s going to be a long summer” given these issues.
Adding to the complexity is the strained relationship between Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao. Reports note that Barça’s hierarchy is uneasy about sending a big transfer windfall to Athletic, a club that has been critical of Barcelona in recent transfer disputes (e.g., the Negreira case, Dani Olmo saga). Relations are “at an all-time low,” making negotiations sensitive. Some Barça staff reportedly worry about creating a “Club de Amigos” situation by paying Athletic. On top of that, Barcelona has exhausted much of its summer budget, with García’s signing and other commitments already pledged.
One final hurdle is timing and registration. Barcelona already missed out on Williams last year due to fair-play registration issues. Reports recall that Barcelona “did not dare to sign him last summer because of their fair play and registration problems,” and only loosened restrictions through special measures when signing Dani Olmo. Williams is said to understand the situation now; it appears he is willing to take the same registration risk that Olmo took last summer. Still, a new signing of this magnitude would require careful maneuvering under LaLiga’s economic rules.