Overview

• Nico Williams signed an eight-year extension with Athletic Bilbao, raising his release clause by about 50 percent from €62 million to roughly €93 million.
• Barcelona had agreed to trigger his original release clause but could not guarantee him a LaLiga registration slot under strict Financial Fair Play limits.
• Bayern Munich kept contact with Williams’ camp as a fallback option but now must redirect its transfer strategy to other targets.
• In a club-released video, Williams said he follows his heart and considers Bilbao—where he grew up—his true home.
• The transfer saga highlights how Spain’s mandatory release clause system and LaLiga spending rules shape modern player mobility and club negotiations.