Barcelona have been aggressively pushing to bring Athletic Club winger Nico Williams to Camp Nou, but the operation has hit multiple snags, mainly surrounding financial regulations and registration guarantees that the player has demanded. Although there remains hope of reaching an agreement, Marca suggests that the challenges involved are greater than initially anticipated.
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Barcelona keep pushing for WilliamsFFP rules restrict them from registering the playerHave to make player sales before going aheadFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
One of the primary issues holding back the deal is Williams’ insistence on being officially registered to Barcelona’s 2025–26 squad immediately upon signing. Barcelona have conveyed to the player’s representatives that they believe they can meet this condition. However, based on the club’s recent struggles with La Liga’s financial restrictions, there remains a cloud of uncertainty over whether this promise can be fulfilled without further outgoings.
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Barcelona president Joan Laporta has reportedly reassured the player's camp that there will be no issue registering Nico, as well as newly-signed goalkeeper Joan Garcia from Espanyol. However, La Liga remains firm on their stance that Barcelona are still not compliant with the 1:1 rule, raising concerns over the club’s ability to complete such moves without offloading players first.
TEBAS HAS WARNED BARCELONA
Earlier this week, Javier Tebas made the league’s position clear. Speaking to , the La Liga president stated on Tuesday: "Barcelona cannot register Nico Williams as of today."
Names such as Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Andreas Christensen, and Pablo Torre have surfaced as potential sales to create space on the wage bill. Ansu Fati has already joined Monaco on a loan deal, freeing up space on the wage bill.
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Barcelona remain ready to activate Williams' €60 million (£50m/$69m) release clause. However, the club is not willing to proceed unless they can be sure of registering the player. This hesitation stems from a fear that if the deal collapses late in the window, they could struggle to recover the money or offload players in time. It would also create complications for Williams, who is eager to maintain consistent playing time, especially with a World Cup on the horizon next summer.
