The summer transfer window seems to finally have kicked off for FC Barcelona by now. At long last, the Catalan club is finally able to initiate some plays to land their most desired targets. After some much-needed waiting, Barcelona are seemingly now prepared to go all out for the players they wish to sign.
As per the words of Barcelona president Joan Laporta, the club is in a position to be able to afford Nico Williams, the Athletic Club winger who Barça consider to be their biggest priority. The way to sign him, however, is through Barcelona paying the €58 million release clause set by Athletic Club for the player.
Yet, this approach over publicly stating their desire to sign the player does not seem to sit well with the Basque Club. Beyond just the release clause itself making it more accessible for Barcelona to sign a player whose current market value is €60 million, Athletic Club seem to find the public comments to be in poor taste.
However, according to El Chiringuito host and Spanish journalist Josep Pedrerol, the blame in this matter goes towards Athletic Club themselves and not FC Barcelona:
“Why is Athletic Club angry with Laporta’s words (about Nico Williams)? When you put a €58 million clause, you are selling him.”
In his own way, he is stating that it is the fault of Athletic Club themselves for having agreed a release clause for the player that is this accessible for a club like Barcelona. While a transfer is not guaranteed by any means just yet, some major developments have taken place.
For now, however, the 21-year-old Athletic Club winger will continue to focus on the European Championship. Together with the likes of Lamine Yamal, a player who hopes to play with him at Barcelona one day, he will be looking to take down France in the semi-final in what is expected to be a much-anticipated encounter.