Nico Williams’ Agent Reveals Winger Chose to Stay at Athletic Club Despite Interest The agent of Athletic Club winger Nico Williams has disclosed that the sought-after player chose not to leave his club this summer.
Williams, who has a £49m release clause, attracted attention from Arsenal, Chelsea, and Barcelona. Despite the significant offers, the 22-year-old opted to remain with Athletic Club.
In an interview with Cadena SER, Williams’ agent, Felix Tainta, shared that the transfer window had been stressful but commended Williams for his decision to stay true to his club.
“The lad had an incredible year and was, in my view, the best player of Euro 2024,” Tainta said. “There was a lot of activity and travel during this period. We are pleased with how things turned out, though the end of the transfer window was quite stressful.”
Tainta emphasized that Williams’ decision to stay was entirely his own, highlighting that a player’s choice to remain or leave is not dictated by the agent.
“When a player wants to stay at a club, he stays. When he wants to leave, he leaves. The agent does not force a player to go where he doesn’t want to,” Tainta explained. “It’s easy to blame agents, but the reality is that many sporting directors who lack a club become agents themselves. Each player decides where he wants to be.”
Williams’ Spain teammate, Lamine Yamal, has expressed his desire to play alongside Williams and recently reiterated his hope to see him join Barcelona in the future.
“I don’t know if Williams will join Barcelona next year,” Yamal told Antena 3. “I would love to play with him every week, and I hope to do so, but for now, he’s at Athletic Club.”
