Hard blow for Barça! Announced insistence on the side of the Catalan club, Nico Williams will not finally join the ranks of the Blaugrana. The Athletic Bilbao winger took everyone short by extending his contract until 2035 with his training club. A spectacular reversal which puts an end to a soap opera two summers, and which deprives Hansi Flick of one of its major targets to strengthen its offensive sector.
The Barça has been trying to bring in the young Spanish international for two seasons, with already a failure last summer for financial reasons. This time, the context seemed more favorable: the club's finances displayed signs of recovery, sports performances were there, and even Javier Tebas, president of Laliga, had given encouraging guarantees. All the lights seemed to be green to finalize the transfer.
Many clues suggested that the case was on the right track. Nico Williams, currently on vacation, was not expected to resume training with Bilbao, and players like Ferran Torres or Raphinha openly mentioned his next arrival. But a last minute obstacle linked to the registration of the contract would have made the operation condom. The 22 -year -old finally preferred to remain faithful to his training club.
“I am where I want to be”
In a video published by Athletic Bilbao to announce this extension, we discover a man repugining a fresco by Nico Williams recently vandalized, before registering the player's initials and the date 2035. The player appears to be emotional, declaring:
“When it is necessary to make decisions, for me, what matters most is the heart. I am where I want to be, with my family. It's my home. Go athletic. »»
This strong choice of Nico Williams confirms his attachment to Bilbao. For FC Barcelona, this is a new disappointment on the transfer market. After having targeted Nico Williams as a priority, the Catalan club will have to review its plans to strengthen its left wing this summer.
