Nico Williams’s agent has revealed that his client’s proposed move to Barcelona fell apart over playing time concerns.

Williams was tipped to leave Athletic Club in consecutive summers in 2024 and 2025, with a host of Europe’s usual suspects circling the winger who played a major role in Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph.

Barcelona’s interest reached the most advanced stage in 2025, with the La Liga champions prepared to pay Williams’s €58 million ($65 million) release clause to unite him with his Spain teammate Lamine Yamal in attack. The proposed move sparked fury among Athletic fans who famously defaced a mural of their star player.

Ultimately, the deal fell apart with Williams going on to sign a surprise contract 10-year contract extension, keeping him locked in at San Mamés until 2035.

The true reasons for Williams transfer U-turn were not fully clear at the time, though Athletic posted a video to their social channels of the star announcing: “When you have to make decisions, for me, what weights most is the heart.

“I am where I want to be, with my people, this is my home. Aupa Athletic!”

‘Nico Is a Formula 1 Car’—Agent Breaks Down Failed Move

Williams’s agent Félix Tainta has claimed that concerns over playing time were behind Williams opting not to move to Camp Nou, more than emotional ties to Athletic.

Going deep on the transfer saga on the podcast Los Fulanos, he said: “We all know about Barça’s interest in the summer of ’24, after the European Championship. Barça, Arsenal, Bayern, Liverpool, PSG … I could name them all. Everyone wanted Nico, and it’s not easy for a player to say no to all these clubs.

“From there, we talked to Barça. Athletic knew because I kept them informed about the situation at all times, even though Athletic and Barça... Athletic was angry with Barça for their methods.

“From then on, I initiated conversations, and there came a point in the negotiations, in the situation, where Nico couldn't be without playing. Nico is a Formula 1 car, and if I go to your house, I can't take on your problem, and I made that clear to Barça.

“We decided that if there weren't certain guarantees, we couldn't risk Nico not going there to play, with a World Cup coming up, and not just with a World Cup, but because he's a professional who has to perform his duties.”

After the deal collapsed, Barcelona ended up signing left-sided forward Marcus Rashford on loan in 2025, while they paid €80 million ($90 million) for Anthony Gordon last summer.

Could Williams Still Leave Athletic?

Williams, 24, is tied down at Athletic Club until 2035—one of the longest professional contracts of any player in Europe’s major leagues. However, his new deal does still include a release clause.

At the time, it was reported that the new buyout number had been set at more than 50% higher than it was previously, thus suggesting it would take at least €87 million ($98 million) to be able to start negotiations.

In the same interview, Tainta defended Williams’s loyalty to Bilbao but insisted his client did seriously consider leaving Athletic Club prior to renewing his deal, calling the winger “ambitious.”

“Nico had the idea of ​​leaving,” Tainta added. “He's ambitious, and at Athletic you know the limitations, you know you're not going to win a Champions League, maybe a league title.

“In the end, when he kept saying 'not here, not here, not here, maybe here, but the situation and what it entails doesn't add up,' there's another twist where you think, 'what if I renew?' I brought it up with him, I said, 'This is what it is, do you want me to fight for it?' And he agreed. And that's how we renewed.”

Raised in the Basque Country and having joined Athletic’s academy at the age of 11, Williams is a symbol of a club with a one of the strongest senses of community in European soccer. His older brother Iñaki, 32, has also spent his entire senior career at the club despite regular transfer links away.