Athletic queries Barca's ability to sign Williams
Athletic Club has questioned whether Barcelona has the capability to sign Nico Williams while adhering to financial rules after talks with LaLiga.
Last week, Barcelona's sporting director Deco confirmed the Blaugrana intend to move for Williams, who played a key role in Spain's triumphant UEFA Euro 2024 run.
Liverpool's Luis Diaz had also been linked with Barca, but reports suggest it is hoping to trigger a €58 million ($104.1 million) release clause in Williams's contract with Bilbao.
However, the Basque club confirmed it had met with LaLiga to express concerns over whether Barca is able to complete the deal.
Barca has been beset by financial issues for several years, after big-money moves for the likes of Ousmane Dembele, Philippe Coutinho and Antoine Griezmann failed to deliver an impact on the pitch.
Last season, Barca was initially barred from registering Dani Olmo and Pau Victor after LaLiga ruled those transfers left the club unable to comply with financial fair play rules, but the club later won an appeal against that ruling.
Athletic's statement read: "Athletic would like to thank LaLiga for its cooperation and clarity during a meeting between the two organisations, in which Javier Tebas and Jon Uriarte, respective presidents of each entity, were present.
"The meeting in Madrid was held in response to a request made by Athletic concerning compliance with financial fair play rules.
"Among the issues discussed was Barcelona's ability to sign players. Athletic have a legitimate interest in accessing relevant information about this, given that Barcelona's director of football, Deco, publicly acknowledged that they will try to sign a player from our first team, a player who is under contract until 30 June, 2027.
"Deco's comments follow public statements made by Barcelona president [Joan] Laporta, who admitted that his club 'is working to comply with the rules' and that, as a result, it does not currently meet the requirements of those rules for player registration."
Laporta later hit back in comments of his own, telling reporters: "I don't understand Athletic's reaction. With all due respect, everyone should worry about their own business.
"I don't understand why they would go to LaLiga to speak about Barca, which is nothing to do with them, but each to their own."
Williams registered 18 goal involvements in all competitions for Athletic last season, scoring 11 and assisting seven.
He became the second-youngest player to score in a European championship final when he netted the opener against England last year when he was aged 22 years and two days. Italy's Pietro Anastasi is the youngest, scoring in 1968 at 20 years and 64 days.
