For the second consecutive summer, Nico Williams has refused to sign for the Catalan club. This time, he did so after holding advanced negotiations and making it clear that his intention was to wear the blaugrana jersey.
For weeks, the Navarrese footballer's camp conveyed his desire to join Camp Nou. Meanwhile, the club was willing to pay the €60 million clause. However, after several days without progress, the final blow arrived: contract renewal with Athletic until 2035.
The decision has been especially painful because of the way it happened. Inside Barça, they believe the player acted with a lack of transparency. For many, it wasn't a financial matter, but rather a poorly managed act of pride.
An exorbitant contract and silence from Barcelona
Nico has signed a historic contract with the Bilbao club: ten years in length and a much higher salary. The figures far exceed what he was going to earn in Barcelona, something that has even surprised his own teammates. Beyond the money, there are other underlying reasons that explain what happened.
In a special program aired last night, Josep Pedrerol offered previously unknown details about the snub. According to his information, there was negligence on Barça's part during the key days. After proposing guarantees in case he wasn't registered, the club went six days without giving any sign.
During that time, from the sporting management, it was leaked that there were other options on the table. The name Luis Díaz resurfaced strongly as a possible alternative. This move was not well received by Nico Williams's camp, who interpreted the maneuver as a message of distrust.
The locker room also erupts: growing discontent
Pedrerol stated that Barça acted with excessive strategy and a lack of conviction. "They expected Nico's camp to get nervous, and they didn't," he said emphatically. According to his analysis, the big loser in this operation is clearly the Catalan club.
Another unexpected factor adds to this: the discontent within the culé locker room itself. Several players viewed his arrival with suspicion because of how it could affect their playing time. Among them, one of the most pointed out has been precisely the current owner of the right wing.
This footballer reportedly openly expressed his disagreement with Nico's arrival. He believes that his profile doesn't fit with the team's style or his way of playing. Flick was informed of this disagreement, which cooled the signing in the final hours.
Pedrerol points the finger by name
The program ended with a revelation that has further fueled the controversy. Josep Pedrerol directly identified the person responsible for the internal blockade: Raphinha. The Brazilian reportedly maneuvered to avoid losing prominence in Flick's new Barça.
He not only conveyed his opinion to the coaching staff, but also influenced the internal locker room discourse. He claimed that Nico Williams would occupy a redundant role and that there were better options in the youth academy. Names like Héctor Fort, Kooundé, or even Iñaki Peña were used as examples of internal meritocracy.
This pressure had an effect; the club, faced with a lack of registration guarantees and the tactical conflict, decided to halt the operation. By then, the player had already chosen to renew in Bilbao. His camp assures that they won't sit down with Barça again in the future.