Barcelona had targeted Athletic Club’s jewel Nico Williams, whose contract expires in 2024, in an effort to bolster the attack. However, according to recent sources, they will be challenged in pursuit by Real Madrid.
Nico’s current contract has a €50 million release clause that Real Madrid would have been happy to activate even in January, although Barcelona would not be able to sign him until he was available on a free transfer.
Furthermore, reports said that Nico now favors a transfer to Real Madrid over a move to Barcelona. One of the reasons for his desire might be because the Spaniard does not want to leave Athletic Club on a free transfer.
Real Madrid is not interested in signing Nico.
Barcelona, on the other hand, is in luck, since El Partidazo de COPE reports that Real Madrid is not interested in signing Nico.
This might be due to a variety of factors.
To begin, Nico’s best position is off the left flank, where Madrid already has Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo. They are also interested in signing Kylian Mbappe, who loves to play in that position.
Second, Madrid is not very worried with the wing right now. Their first objective is to add a center-forward and strengthen the defense, particularly at left-back, where Alphonso Davies is a target.
Nico is overjoyed with Barcelona’s and Real Madrid’s interest.
With all of the speculation about his future and the swarm of major teams interested in signing him this summer and previously, Nico has openly said that he is OK with the rumors.
“The fact that big teams like Barça, Madrid, or clubs in England are keeping an eye on me means that I am doing my job well.”
“I’m clear about the decision I want to make, but in the end, it’s something that my representatives, who have been with me since I was 11 years old, are in charge of,” Nico went on to say.
Meanwhile, his representative, Felix Tainta, stated that Athletic Club has yet to make a definite extension offer to him, adding, “There is no definitive offer from the club or the player, it would be the other way around, which is not the case either, it is the player who has to decide his future.”