Idman.biz
New information has emerged regarding the reasons why Athletic Bilbao forward Niko Williams did not move to Barcelona last summer.
Idman.Biz reports that behind the conflicting news in the Bilbao and Barcelona press are secret negotiations, the agent's position, and Joan Laporta's casual remarks.
On June 13, 2025, the club was preparing to send a payment of 25 million euros (approximately 46.2 million AZN) to La Liga so that Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia could officially become a Barcelona player. However, on the same day, Deco had scheduled a secret meeting at the Hotel Torre Melina at 3:00 PM. Here, negotiations were held with Niko Williams' agent, Felix Tainta, and a person close to him. At this meeting, the player's desire to move to the Catalan club was clearly expressed.
A week earlier, on June 8, Niko Williams' agent met with Bayern Munich's sporting director, Max Eberl, and the Germans were very insistent on transferring the player. At midnight that day, the agent tried to contact Deco, but for some reason, he could not. The next day, during the conversation, Deco offered a meeting in Barcelona, and the agent accepted it without hesitation. This indicated that the advantage in the negotiations was no longer on the player's side.
After SPORT published the news of the meeting, the agent completely denied it and said that he came to Barcelona for Billie Eilish's concert. But the journalist's question revealed the falsity of his excuse.
The person presented as a "musician friend" was actually Felix Tainta's close associate, Juan de Dios Carrasco, who mediated Williams' transfer to Barcelona two years ago.
Fabrizio Romano and David Ornstein also shared the news. The agent simultaneously sent a denial to the Bilbao media, which indirectly confirmed that the meeting actually took place.
On the evening of July 3, while Joan Laporta was eating at a restaurant in Pedralbes, a fan asked: "President, why is Niko creating difficulties?"
Laporta replies: "The agent wants a release clause. We will not pay 60 million euros (111 million AZN) and then allow him to leave for free. Nothing is finalized."
This statement clearly showed that the club was already worried about the process.
Just 12 hours later, an official statement was released: "Niko Williams signed a renewal until 2035. The new release amount is 100 million euros (approximately 185 million AZN)."
There was serious disappointment in the Barcelona offices. The club thought the transfer was possible all summer.
Four months later, paths cross again. This Saturday, at the opening of the renovated Spotify Camp Nou, Niko Williams will play against that team. Against the club he wanted to join, but in the end chose Athletic again.
