Nico Williams' agent has confirmed that the Spain international snubbed both Arsenal and Liverpool two years ago. Williams, 24, remains an Athletic Bilbao player, having committed his future to the club until 2035 when he signed an extraordinary 10-year contract extension last summer.
Agent reveals interest from Europe's biggest clubs
But a year prior, Williams was arguably Europe's hottest prospect. The winger had just helped Spain win the European Championship, scoring in the final against England off the back of lifting the Copa del Rey with Athletic.
Arsenal and Liverpool were heavily linked with a move, but as agent Felix Tainta explained in a new interview with Spanish outlet Los Fulanos, neither destination was on the cards. "We all know about Barca's interest in the summer of '24, after the European Championship," Tainta acknowledged.
"Barcelona, Arsenal, Bayern (Munich), Liverpool, Paris Saint-Germain… I could name them all. Everyone wanted Nico, and having a player say no to all these clubs isn't easy."
Playing time fears shaped Williams' decision
Barcelona's attempts to lure Williams away from the Basque region sparked an ugly transfer saga, with Athletic supporters turning against the youngster before he made a shock U-turn and decided to stay. As it turns out, Williams and his agent were concerned about playing time had he ended up at Barcelona.
"There came a point in the negotiations, in the situation, where Nico couldn't be without playing time," Tainta continued. "Nico is a Formula 1 car. If I go to your house, I can't take on your problem. And I made that clear to Barca."
"From then on, we decided that if there weren't certain guarantees, we couldn't risk Nico not going there to play, with a World Cup coming up, and not just with a World Cup. A professional has to practice their profession."
Decision paid off with World Cup glory
Williams may've missed out on winning multiple trophies at Barcelona, but his decision to stay helped make sure that he was part of Spain's squad which won the World Cup over the summer. So far this season, the 24-year-old has scored two goals in eight games for club and country.
