Barcelona got tired of waiting for Nico Williams’ decision well ahead of his final refusal | OneFootball

A fresh report from Mundo Deportivo has revealed how Barcelona tried to push Nico Williams to make a quick decision before he renewed with Athletic Club.

A week before his renewal was made official, Barcelona gave Nico a strict 48-hour deadline. On July 2, the club reminded him once more to decide, warning they would not sign him if they couldn’t register him with La Liga.

The story dates back to June 13, when Nico’s agent met with Barcelona’s sporting director, Deco. Nico’s wish to join Barça was shared, but things took a turn when his agent asked for a special release clause.

This clause would let Nico leave for free if the club could not register him. This was a new demand, and Barcelona quickly said no. From there, talks hit a dead end.

Barcelona told Nico’s agent that he had until June 28 to accept the terms or talks would end. But Nico’s camp kept asking for the clause, saying they needed a safety net in case he couldn’t play.

As the deadline passed, Barça began considering other players, such as Luis Diaz, who had already been on their radar.

The final talks and Nico’s decision

Nico Williams has renewed his contract with Athletic Club. (Photo by Ion Alcoba Beitia/Getty Images)

On June 30, it was clear things with Nico were not moving forward, so Barcelona reactivated their interest in Diaz.

Even after Barça closed talks on June 28, Nico let the club know he still wanted to join but needed clear promises about playing time.

He said he wanted everything settled before July 6. However, he kept insisting on the release clause, which Barcelona refused to offer.

Barcelona, tired of the back-and-forth, told Nico’s agent to stop delaying and give them a clear answer. It was a simple choice: accept the offer without the clause or walk away.

Nico and his family met and decided to stay with Athletic. On July 3, Barça learned he hadn’t accepted their deal.

The next day, news broke that Nico had signed a new contract with Athletic Club until 2035, ending Barcelona’s hopes of signing him.