Does the door open for Luis Díaz reopen?

Nico Williams, next to Lamine Yamal, in the Spanish team.

Photo: EFE – Juan Carlos Hidalgo

The novel is over. Despite the siren songs from FC Barcelona and other European clubs, the Spanish end of Spanish Nico Williams renewed with Athletic Club until 2035, in an unexpected script turn that reinforces the ambitions and philosophy of the Basque club.

“Athletic Club and Nico Williams have reached an agreement to extend eight seasons, until June 30, 2035, the contract that ended in 2027. Its termination clause increases more than 50% with respect to the previous one,” Athletic said in a statement on its website.

Converted at 22 into a reference for the rojiblanco team, in which he shares costumes with his brother Iñaki Williams, Nico's new link with the San Mamés club ends weeks of rumors and speculation that placed him in FC Barcelona, ​​which had already tried his signing a year ago.

Now, the Catalans will have to look for another option and the name of Luis Díaz, despite the difficult negotiation that Liverpool poses, reappears in the panorama.

Strain between Athletic y Barça

Deco himself, sports director of the Culé Club, had made statements days ago in which he referred directly to Nico and his possible signing for Barça. “Nico last season was not given by a series of reasons (…) If we could have signed Nico. Both Nico and other players of I give desire to come, of being in this project.”

Statements to which the Athletic Club responded by a statement threatening to ensure that Barça complies with the financial standards imposed by the Spanish League.

Other European clubs, such as Bayern Munich, would also have made firm offers to the player, according to the Spanish press.

At the lower categories of Athletic in 2013-2014, the previous Nico contract won in 2027, and had a termination clause of around 60 million euros.

'Heart' rojiblanco

“When you have to make decisions, for me, what weighs more, is the heart. I am where I want to be, with mine, this is my house,” said Nico Williams in the video with which Athletic announced his renewal.

Since he debuted in the first team in April 2021, he has played 167 games among all competitions, conquering the Copa del Rey in 2024. With Spain he proclaimed Champion of the Eurocopa 2024, being chosen best player of the final against England, and ending the year in the 15th position for the Golden Ball.

In the new course, Nico will show off the red and white colors in the Champions League, after the team finished the Spanish championship in fourth position.

“The step forward that Nico Williams has given with this renewal full of pride to the entire Athleticzale family and draws a future as ambitious as exciting,” concludes Athletic the statement published on its website.

A renewal that reinforces the philosophy of Athletic Club, which nourishes only players from its field of influence, the three Basque and Navarra provinces, in addition to the Basque French country. A self -limitation that full of pride to rojiblancos fans, but that demands greater commitment and fidelity on the part of the players.

The recurring headlines in the press who took the signing of Nico for Barça had raised the atmosphere in Bilbao, to the point that the image of the player was erased in a well -known urban mural in which he appears next to his brother Iñaki Ya Iker Muniain raising the Copa del Rey.

Precisely in that scenario a nico hooded appeared signing with graffiti the motto 'win' (win), the acronym of 'Williams, Iñaki, Nico'.

🚴🏻⚽🏀 The latest in sports?: Everything you should know about world sport is in the spectator