Nico Williams Shocks Barcelona by Signing New Deal With Athletic Bilbao

Winger Nico Williams has signed a new contract with Athletic Bilbao until 2035, officially turning down an offer from Barcelona for the second consecutive time.

Barcelona sporting director Deco recently stated that Williams had shown a “desire to join” the Spanish champions, while club president Joan Laporta said he was ready to trigger the Spanish winger’s €58 million release clause.

However, in a surprising turn of events on Friday, Athletic announced that Williams had signed a contract extension, with his release clause now "50% higher than before."

Williams has long been a target for Barcelona, who also attempted to sign him last summer. The Catalan club was confident they could land him this season.

The transfer process became complicated, with Athletic even filing a complaint with La Liga regarding Barcelona’s finances in an effort to block the deal.

Ultimately, the Spain international decided to stay at the club he first joined at the age of 11.

“When you have to make a decision, for me the most important thing is the heart,” Williams said in a video posted on Athletic’s social media channels, which showed him spray-painting '2035' onto a damaged mural. “I’m where I want to be, with my people — this is my home. Aupa Athletic!”

Previously, Williams was under contract with Athletic until 2027. With this extension, he could now stay at San Mamés for the next 10 years.

Earlier, Williams had sparked controversy when reports claimed he had informed Athletic of his intention to join Barcelona. The news triggered a negative reaction from some fans.

However, Barcelona eventually withdrew from the race. According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, the reigning La Liga champions were hindered by recurring player registration issues that have plagued them in recent years.

A product of Athletic’s academy, Williams broke into the first team in 2021. Since then, he has scored 31 goals and provided 30 assists in 167 appearances, helping the club win the Copa del Rey in 2024.