Barcelona directors not unanimous on Nico Williams signing, some hold grudge against Athletic Club winger | OneFootball

Nico Williams appears to be Barcelona’s top target going into the summer transfer window. The Catalans would need to pay his €58m release clause to ensure his signing, given that Athletic Club will not negotiate with anyone for the 21-year-old, who is currently impressing for Spain at Euro 2024.

Joan Laporta is one of those at Barcelona pushing for Williams to be signed, but he is not fully supported by his board of directors. As reported by Sport, some are not sold, especially given the significant financial outlay that would be needed to close a deal.

The main reason some are against Williams’ signing is bad blood, which stems back to 2023. A section of Barcelona directors do not like the way he handled his future – specifically, by deciding to sign a new contract at Athletic. They believe he should not have signed an extension to his deal, which would have meant he was available as a free agent this summer.

These directors believe that Williams “harmed” Barcelona, as instead of signing him for free, they now have to pay €58m, all upfront. It remains to be seen whether this will affect the club’s pursuit – Athletic Club wouldn’t mind it, as they want to hold on to one of their most valuable and important players.