Barcelona to drop interest in Nico Williams ahead of summer transfer

Barcelona are set to forego their pursuit of Athletic Club winger Nico Williams as they finalize their transfer priorities for the 2025 summer window.

Williams, 22, was a major target for the Catalan giants last summer, but he turned down the opportunity to move to Camp Nou.

While he has remained on their radar, Mundo Deportivo reports that Barcelona no longer see him as a primary option.

The decision stems from multiple factors. Firstly, club officials were disappointed by Williams’ rejection last year, which left a sour taste.

Secondly, the winger has not had a standout season with Athletic, leading to doubts about his current level.

Additionally, tensions between Barcelona and Athletic have played a role.

The Basque club strongly opposed Barça’s previous approach for Williams, even threatening legal action over a potential release clause activation.

Their vocal stance on the Negreira case has also strained relations further.

Instead of Williams, Barça are focusing on other attacking options, with Liverpool’s Luis Diaz, AC Milan’s Rafael Leao, and Newcastle’s Alexander Isak on Deco’s shortlist.

Meanwhile, Premier League clubs like Arsenal and Liverpool remain keen on Williams, and Athletic may struggle to keep hold of him if an English club triggers his release clause.