Athletic Club president Jon Uriarte has claimed the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has failed to protect Nico Williams amid a “bombardment” of questions over his future, with sources telling ESPN that Barcelona are among the clubs interested in the winger.
Williams, 21, has been repeatedly asked in various media interviews during the European Championship with Spain whether he will remain at Athletic or if he would like to join international team-mate Lamine Yamal at Barca.
Meanwhile, Barca president Joan Laporta said this week that the Catalan club would have the money to sign Williams, who has a release clause worth around 58 million euros ($63 million), despite their financial problems.
Sources have previously confirmed to ESPN that Barca will prioritise signing a midfielder and a left winger this summer, with Williams among the targets for the latter position.
“Nico, a player committed to Athletic, has been subject to an excessive and uncontrolled bombardment of questions about his future during the Euro Cup,” said Uriarte in a statement on Thursday.
“The RFEF has not been able to protect him.
“Respect between all the players in football is a fundamental basis – that is how we understand it at Athletic – which does not include subjecting players with a contract with a club to public pressure to join other clubs.”
Williams signed a new deal with Athletic at the end of last year, signing an extension at San Mamés until 2027 rather than running down his contract and leaving as a free agent this summer.
However, his stock has only continued to rise since then. He helped Athletic win the Copa del Rey last season, knocking out Barca in the quarter-finals, and has been a protagonist in Spain's run to the Euro 2024 final, where they face England on Sunday in Berlin.
He was named man of the match in the win over Italy and scored and assisted in the round of 16 victory against Georgia.
Despite this, Uriarte insists that Athletic are capable of fending off any interest in their prized assets as they prepare for a return to the Europa League next season.
“There are no limits to Athletic's aspirations,” he added. “We are showing that we have an attractive project, a winning project for our players and our coach.”
“Proof of this is that we have renewed the contracts of two of our internationals, Unai Simón (2029) and Dani Vivian (2032), while Nico signed a new contract last year until 2027. Several other sought-after players have also committed their future to the club.
“Athletic is financially, socially and sportingly capable of keeping players of the calibre of those mentioned, including Nico, in its structure.”
Williams has maintained that her focus is solely on the Euros, rejecting the possibility of discussing her future beyond the tournament.
He has been at Athletic, where he plays alongside his brother, the Ghanaian international Iñaki Williams, since he was 11 years old and has played 122 games with the first team since his debut in 2021.
