Nico Williams is on his way to Barcelona. The 22-year-old forward, one of the hottest names in Europe’s transfer market lately, has told Athletic Bilbao he’s accepted Barça’s offer. The club already has a personal agreement in place with Nico, locking him in through 2031 with an annual salary between €7 and €8 million. Now, they’re just waiting for the green light to pay his €58 million release clause. That’s expected to happen in the first few days of July.
Nico’s choice gives Barcelona more than just depth. It gives them purpose. The forward had other big-name suitors, including Bayern Munich, which actually moved ahead in talks at one point, until Nico put everything on hold when Barça showed up. Since then, it’s been clear where his heart is.
Deal stalled, so Barça had to trigger the clause
Athletic Bilbao didn’t even entertain the idea of negotiating. The club made it clear from day one that the only way out was paying the full release clause. So that’s exactly what Barcelona is getting ready to do. The price is steep, sure, but not out of line with what Nico’s shown on the field. Right now, his market value is around €70 million, so it checks out.
Besides the agreement with Nico and the plan to trigger the clause, Barça still has to sort out a few Financial Fair Play details. Club directors want to be absolutely sure they can register the player in La Liga without running into roadblocks. What happened with Dani Olmo still stings. That deal fell apart because of budget restrictions, and the club’s determined not to make the same mistake again. So yeah, they’re taking their time.
A natural fit for Barça’s squad
Nico’s had two strong seasons with Athletic and the Spanish national team. He’s put up 24 goals during that stretch, but more than that, he’s turned heads with his explosive runs, sharp one-on-one skills, and flexibility in the front line. He can play down either side, he reads the game well, and each season he’s looked more polished.
Barcelona sees him as the missing piece in a group that’s been short on options out wide. They need someone who can stretch the field, make defenders work, and still play within the structure. Nico checks all those boxes. Plus, he already has chemistry with Lamine Yamal, they’ve played together for Spain, and that connection could be huge for Barça.