The reasons why Nico Williams did not join Barcelona this summer – Report | OneFootball

This has already been a long and grueling summer transfer window for FC Barcelona. Despite there being still a lot of time left, the sheer commitment and time devoted to one failed operation feels like a lot. Unfortunately, a key Barcelona target has already slipped away.

Nico Williams renews his Athletic Club contract

Nico Williams has committed himself to Athletic Club. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

Nico Williams, aged 22, has already committed his own future to his current side Athletic Club. Having renewed his contract until 2035 with them, it seems clear enough that the Spaniard does not wish to leave his current side for a long time moving forward.

Despite positive reports surrounding his potential move to Barcelona, the reality of the matter is that the two parties simply could not agree when it mattered. As per Fabrizio Romano, it was due to registration issues, but more details have come forward now.

Details behind the failed operation for Barcelona

As per Mundo Deportivo, Nico’s operation this summer was a unique kind of gamble. Initially, Barcelona wanted nothing to do with him following the entire issue that unfolded last year, and Joan Laporta was not exactly too keen on the player.

Then, in what was considered a bold move, Nico Williams pushed his agent to hold a meeting with Barcelona. For context, the Catalan giants never wanted to initiate talks or converse with the player’s entourage, but it was the other way around this time.

As a result of that meeting, Barcelona were led to believe that he truly wanted to join the club this time around. Moreover, with his age and the kind of potential he has, he was not exactly a bad profile and was instead someone that the club could genuinely consider having on their roster.

Guarantees that changed everything

However, once the verbal agreements had already been put to one side, his agent began to ask for written guarantees. He wanted that his client should be allowed to leave as a free agent if Barcelona is able to pay his €62 million release clause but not register him.

For the Catalan club, this was a sporting and financial gamble that they simply could not afford to take. That is also when, as per MD, the Barcelona negotiators began to suspect that Nico Williams simply wanted to play with his Barça-based teammates from the Spanish National team, and Barcelona itself was not his priority.

After all, his family and close friends have almost always been linked and associated with Athletic Club. So, if nothing came to be, it was expected that Nico Williams would simply commit himself to Athletic Club as he has already done so over the last few years.

Over the course of the last week or so, MD reports that talks had already stalled. Negotiations were going nowhere and that Barcelona was standing firm on their end as well. Ultimately, as the Catalan giants communicated that they would not agree to the player leaving on a free transfer, the other side also stated that then their decision would come shortly.

Barcelona to now look at the alternatives

Ultimately, that decision was to renew his current contract until 2035 and push away any chance of joining Barcelona now or in the future. However, the Catalan club understands that they may have lost a good target but it was not a player without whom they could not thrive.

After all, as the club works to return to the 1:1 rule, they are also aware of their strengths from last season. Completing a domestic treble did not need the presence of Nico Williams, and there are other options on the market to explore as well moving forward.