Barcelona Drop Interest in Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams

Joan Laporta, president of Barcelona, has confirmed that the club is no longer pursuing Nico Williams, winger for Athletic Bilbao.

The 22-year-old had previously been a top transfer target for Barcelona ahead of the upcoming summer window. His standout performances for the Spain national football team at Euro 2024 — tallying 2 goals and 1 assist in 6 appearances — had strengthened the Catalan club’s interest.

At one point, Barcelona were optimistic about securing Williams’ signature following positive talks with his agent. The club was reportedly ready to trigger his €58 million release clause before eventually deciding to withdraw.