Nico Williams: Joan Laporta Explains Why Athletic Bilbao Player Didn't Sign for Barcelona

• Nico Williams’ agent surprised Barcelona with a bold offer, leading to immediate interest but also raising questions
• The Spanish winger was Barcelona's prime target this summer before they moved to sign Marcus Rashford on loan
• Club President Joan Laporta has now explained why Barcelona eventually failed to land Nico Williams

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The highly anticipated move of Nico Williams to Barcelona failed to happen and now, Barcelona President Joan Laporta has broken his silence on the transfer saga.

Despite the heavy speculation linking the young winger to the Catalan giants, Williams ultimately renewed his contract with Athletic Bilbao, much to the disappointment of some Barca supporters.

Laporta has opened up about what went wrong with the transfer pursuit, offering a rare glimpse into the inner workings of the club’s transfer negotiations.

Barcelona's pursuit of Nico Williams

The saga of Nico Williams and Barcelona started with an intriguing twist. Amid Barcelona’s pursuit of other top players like Luis Díaz and Marcus Rashford, Williams’ agent approached Laporta with an unexpected proposal.

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According to Laporta, as quoted by So Foot, their hunt for Liverpool's Luis Díaz’s situation was complicated, and they were negotiating with Rashford too.

Then Nico’s agent came to the La Liga champions to offer the possibility of signing the Athletic Bilbao player, Laporta explained.

At first, Barcelona’s president wasn’t immediately sold on the idea, as his focus was on other, more pressing targets.

However, Laporta also made it clear that he values the opinions of his sporting director, even in these high-stakes negotiations.

"I always listen to the sporting director," Laporta said.

The director suggested that Williams, a talented winger known for his speed and creativity, could be a valuable addition to the squad. With that advice in mind, Barcelona’s management began to explore the potential signing.

Why did Barcelona fail to sign Nico Williams?

As with any high-profile transfer, the negotiations were far from straightforward. Laporta and his team quickly realised that the financial demands set by Williams' camp were much higher than what Barcelona was willing to entertain.

According to Laporta, there was a big gap between what Nico Williams and his representatives asked for and what Barcelona could accept.

Laporta also cited issues with the payment terms, the agent’s commission, and other variables that ultimately made the deal difficult to finalise.

The deal was further complicated when Deco, a key figure in Barcelona’s transfer dealings, gave the club a firm deadline to either accept the terms or walk away.

"Deco then gave us a 48-hour ultimatum, and if our terms weren’t accepted, we wouldn’t close the deal,” Laporta said.

These hard deadlines are a familiar part of high-stakes negotiations, but they often leave little room for flexibility. Despite the urgency, Barcelona stuck to their guns and refused to meet the demands laid out by the Euro 2024 champion's representatives.

Barcelona moved for Marcus Rashford

As the clock ticked down on the Nico Williams negotiations, Barcelona’s attention turned back to their primary targets. With the Williams deal stalling, the club doubled down on their pursuit of Marcus Rashford, whose potential arrival was beginning to look more likely.

"Meanwhile, work continued on the other two files, and Rashford’s arrival was becoming clearer," Laporta explained.

The focus shifted away from Williams, and ultimately, the deal was dead in the water. It was a frustrating series of events for Barcelona, but Laporta made it clear that sometimes negotiations simply don’t go as planned.

While Nico Williams remained loyal to Athletic Bilbao, the club moved forward with other options, knowing that the transfer market is a game of patience and opportunity.

In the end, Williams chose to stay in Bilbao, committing his future to a club where he feels loved and valued. According to Yahoo Sports, Inaki Williams' younger brother signed a deal until 2035.

Nico Williams Mural in Bilbao

YEN.com.gh previously reported on the vandalism of Nico Williams' mural by a group of Athletic fans in Bilbao.

This was at the time the winger was reportedly said to have agreed personal terms to join the current La Liga champions.

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Source: YEN.com.gh