Everything was ready. The agreement seemed close, the signals were green, and even the entourage of the player suggested that the arrival of Nico Williams at FC Barcelona was only a matter of days. But in this case where nothing has ever happened, here is a new twist rebuilding the whole case.
According to Cadena Ser, the president of Athletic Bilbao and his managing director went to Madrid to claim a complete financial audit of Barça. The reason? The Basque club suspects that the Blaugranas do not respect the rule of 1: 1 imposed by the Liga, which prohibits spending more than what is generated in income. In other words, Bilbao wants to prove that Barcelona does not have the legal means to conclude this transfer.
Williams wants to come, but nothing is signed
However, Nico Williams himself clearly expressed his desire to join Barça this summer. But his training club refuses to let go, and even challenges the existence of a moral agreement between the player and his future club. The release clause, estimated at just over 60 million euros, is certainly activated, but Bilbao could obtain a freezing of the transfer until further notice.
By doing so, the Basque club seeks to save time, or even sabotage the operation by making it legally risky. The stake is also symbolic: losing their jewel, barely extended until 2027, would be a slap for their training policy. And obviously, Bilbao does not intend to fold without fighting battle.
Back to square one … for how long?
FC Barcelona, for its part, intends to activate the clause as soon as the new budget year is opening. But nothing says that the league will allow the operation so easily. As it stands, this soap opera is more and more like a politico-financial showdown, the outcome of which remains unpredictable. One thing is certain: the Nico Williams file is far from being closed.
