Barcelona Targets Bilbao Star Williams in 2024 - Reports

Press reports revealed today, Thursday, that FC Barcelona is serious about signing young Athletic Club winger Nico Williams in 2024, and has already contacted his agent to sound out a potential transfer according to Spain’s SPORT. Catalan newspaper Sport reported that Barcelona aims to sign Neco Williams in 2024, and its agent has been contacted recently. The younger brother of Inaki Williams has been on the Bilbao outfit's books since 2013, joining them when he was around 11 and later turning professional at San Mames. In 2021, he made his debut for the senior team currently managed by ex-Barca boss Ernesto Valverde, with his maiden Spain cap forthcoming the following year. Fast forward to mid-2024, however, and Nico becomes a free agent. His contract situation has a number of top European clubs on alert, with Aston Villa in the Premier League one of the most interested parties in acquiring his services. Athletic Club is obviously more aware than anyone that they can lose their academy product for nothing, and know of Barca's interest too. They want to make him one of their biggest stars over the rest of the decade and have made him a renewal offer of three seasons that he is still yet to take up. In the meantime, Barca has already contracted Nico Williams' representative Felix Tainta to see how possible it is to have him don Blaugrana. On recent international duty, Nico Williams became close to Lamine Yamal, who he assisted so that the 16-year-old could make history as Spain's youngest-ever scorer against Georgia. He is already good friends with Lamine's fellow La Masia graduates Alejandro Balde and Gavi. Various European clubs have been seeking to sign a contract with the 21-year-old player recently, led by Aston Villa, which allocated 50 million euros as the value of the release clause in the player’s contract with Athletic Bilbao.