Nico Williams, one of Athletic Club’s best players, just signed a new contract that will keep him at the team for up to eight more years—until 2035! This big news pretty much ends all the rumors about him leaving for Barcelona.
Nico has been part of Athletic Club since 2013. By signing this new contract, his “release clause” (the price another team would have to pay to sign him) went way up to nearly 80 million euros! That means it’s even harder for other clubs to get him.
When asked about staying, Nico said, “When it comes to making decisions, for me, the most important thing is to listen to your heart. I am where I want to be, with my people, this is my home.” So, it’s clear he really loves being at Athletic Club.
Even though Barcelona wanted to sign him, it won’t happen this summer. Reports say they can’t register new players right now, so Nico is definitely staying put.
💥 Nico Williams signs eight-year contract extension at Athletic Club, until 2035.
The red and white winger will stay the next ten seasons at the club of his heart and his release clause increase more than 50% over the previous one.#NicoWilliams2035 #AthleticWIN 🦁
— Athletic Club (@Athletic_en) July 4, 2025
Nico, who plays on the same team as his brother Inaki, made his first appearance for Athletic Club in 2021. Since then, he’s played 131 LaLiga games and scored 16 goals, plus 15 more in other competitions. He’s also played for Spain and helped them win the European Championship in 2024!
Last season, Athletic Club finished fourth in Spain’s top league, so they made it into the Champions League. They even made it to the Europa League semi-finals, but lost to Manchester United.
Barcelona has spent all summer trying to sign Nico, but now they have to find someone else. Their talks with Liverpool’s Luis Diaz didn’t work out either, so they’ll need to look for a new speedy winger.
