Athletic Club To Block Nico Williams’ Move

Athletic Club have launched a response to Barcelona’s pursuit of their explosive winger, Nico Williams. With both Deco and Joan Laporta publicly admitting Barça’s intent, Bilbao chiefs have taken the step of approaching La Liga to question whether Barcelona is currently able to comply with the league’s stringent financial fair play (“1:1”) criteria. This move signals that Athletic are ready to fight all the way to protect both their player and their financial integrity.

Meeting With La Liga

Late last week in Madrid, Athletic President Jon Uriarte and General Manager Jon Berasategi held talks with La Liga’s President, Javier Tebas. The discussion focused squarely on Barcelona’s current capacity to register new signings and whether they fall within the 1:1 rule. A formal statement from Athletic made it clear that Deco’s admission of intent to approach one of their contracted players. Williams, tied until 2027, triggered the club’s intervention.

Bilbao emphasized their legal right to safeguard the competition’s integrity and promised they would “vigorously defend” their interests. They stressed that this is not just a matter of pride but a question of procedure; the law must do everything. While La Liga has yet to reveal its response publicly, Barcelona’s camp is believed to be preparing to activate Williams’ €58 million release clause as soon as July.

Barça Caught In Financial Trouble

Barcelona’s economic predicament has long been a hot topic. The club is struggling to stay within the 1:1 rule, essentially, they can only register new players if incoming revenue balances outgoing payments. Deco confirmed Barcelona will attempt to sign someone from Athletic’s squad, and Laporta himself admitted the club is “working to be within the 1:1 rule,” saying they are not there yet.

La Liga chief Tebas has sounded cautions before, especially in January when Barça was blocked from registering new signings like Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor despite getting approval. Tebas continues to warn that sales or revenue increases are still required before any significant new additions can be registered.

Pressure Mounts On Williams

Williams has previously expressed his desire to move to Barcelona, reportedly to play alongside talent and friend Lamine Yamal, and has informed friends and his agent accordingly. But the pressure has not gone unnoticed. Former Athletic coach Marcelino, now of Villarreal, fears the public drama is affecting Williams negatively. He urged Barça to simply trigger the release clause and conclude the process, warning against prolonging uncertainty.

Meanwhile, reactions in Bilbao remain mixed. Some fans see Barcelona’s persistence as disrespectful; one mural of Williams was vandalized with a stark message: “Leave or stay, you have lost our respect”. Athletic quickly condemned the act and pledged to restore the artwork. Captain Óscar de Marcos even weighed in, reminding those close to Williams that “not everything that glitters is gold,” hinting at the emotional tensions the player must be wrestling with.

Final Thoughts

The coming weeks promise to be decisive. Barcelona is expected to pay Williams’ release clause early in July, hopefully, before the winger must report back to Athletic for pre-season on July 13. However, if La Liga rules that Barça cannot register players due to their financial situation, Athletic may escalate matters further, possibly filing formal complaints with the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).

Barcelona insists they are closing in on “regular” compliance, having already brought in keeper Joan García and planning to register both him and Williams. Athletic, though, remains resolute. They’ve all but declared that the rules apply to everyone, and they will see to it that Barça can only sign Nico if they’re fully eligible to do so.