Barcelona are confident they can convince Athletic Club winger Neco Williams to sign for them this summer, despite the 21-year-old saying he will stay in the Basque Country for “many more years” following their Copa del Rey final win.
Williams extended his contract in November until 2026, and is believed to have increased his release clause to €55 million. This would be the main obstacle to any Barcelona signing, as Los León are not inclined to negotiate for their players, instead demanding a full release clause. Where Barcelona finds that money has yet to be determined.
🚨 Paris Saint-Germain closed the loan of Simons to Barcelona. @Tomasandrio68
— Barca Center (@BarcaCenter) May 14, 2024
However, Sport says it is confident of getting the green light from Williams himself. Talks with his agents and the player are advanced, and it looks like they will secure it. The deal itself will be simple, Barcelona realizes that Athletic will not negotiate, and the release clause will be in his contract or nothing.
Williams is said to be Barcelona's second priority this summer, with sporting director Deco and Xavi Hernandez wanting to bring a good pivot in front of the defence. Real Betis' Guido Rodriguez appears to have a deal in place with Barcelona, but they appear keen to bring in a second signing as well. A release clause in Williams' contract looks increasingly unlikely considering the turnover required.
