Spanish media have uncovered a significant reason behind star Nico Williams’ decision to reject a move to Barcelona during the summer transfer window of 2024. Barcelona had prioritized Williams as a key target to bolster their squad this season, but President Joan Laporta was unable to finalize the transfer.
According to Williams’ statements to the Catalan newspaper “Sport,” he declined the offer to join Barcelona due to concerns about the club’s financial instability and the challenges facing Laporta. The report also mentioned Williams’ apprehension about potential complications with his registration, given the club’s issues with financial fair play regulations.
Nico Williams revealed that he was willing to join Barcelona and had communicated this to the club’s sporting director. However, he requested a guarantee for his registration in the team’s roster, a condition that President Laporta and sporting director Deco could not provide. As a result, Williams chose to stay with Athletic Bilbao for the season.
The newspaper also noted that Barcelona’s summer transfer window concluded with the acquisitions of Pau Victor from Girona and Dani Olmo from Leipzig, Germany, for a combined total of 60 million euros
