Barcelona hit major roadblock in attempt to finalise Nico Williams deal | OneFootball

Barcelona’s pursuit of Nico Williams, once gaining momentum with talks of an agreement and tactical reshuffling, has now hit a wall.

According to a new report from AS, the operation has slowed significantly due to economic and regulatory complications on Barça’s end.

Just a few days ago, the story seemed all but sealed, so much so that reports mentioned the player had agreed to a six-year deal with Barcelona.

However, despite the agreement with the winger, the club is struggling to put the final pieces in place.

What happened suddenly?

Barcelona are now caught between the excitement of signing one of Spain’s brightest talents and the reality of La Liga’s financial fair play restrictions.

While paying a player’s release clause is relatively straightforward, registering a new player with a high salary under La Liga’s rules is much more complicated.

Nico is expected to join the second-highest salary tier at the club, and Barça must ensure they comply with the 1:1 spending rule, which allows them to spend €1 for every €1 they save or earn.

Athletic will give no discounts

Barcelona have hit a financial roadblock. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

One of the key issues holding back the deal is Athletic Club’s firm stance. They have made it clear that they will not negotiate or reduce the amount due.

The full €58 million clause, plus tax, totalling around €64 million, must be paid in full and up front. Attempts by Nico’s agent to smoothen the payment have reportedly gone nowhere.

In addition, Athletic president Jon Uriarte is closely monitoring the situation. He is determined to prevent Barcelona from using any workaround that would stretch the rules in their favour to register Nico under La Liga’s financial framework.

Move is on hold

As of today, Barcelona remains optimistic and continues to explore legal and financial options to make the signing possible without triggering conflict.

They don’t want to risk bad blood with the player, especially one who has been open to joining since last summer.

For now, however, the move is on hold until Barcelona can sort out their salary cap situation and LaLiga gives the green light.