Barcelona President Joan Laporta snaps at Athletic Club after move to halt Nico Williams move

Barcelona President Joan Laporta has told Athletic Club to mind their own business, as tensions continue over the battle for Nico Williams. The Blaugrana intend to activate his €58m release clause next week, but Athletic Club have made a move to halt their transfer plans.

Williams has reportedly told Athletic that he wants to move to Barcelona this summer, although this has exclusively come from the Catalan media. The Liga champions intend to sign Williams next week, but there are doubts over their ability to register the Basque outlay, with uncertainty over their salary limit status.

Last week Laporta declared that Barcelona could sign ‘as normal’, but La Liga counterpart Javier Tebas has disputed that idea. Athletic have their doubts too, and as per Cadena SER, representatives from Los Leones were in Madrid on Thursday and held talks with La Liga. Their intention was to request information on Barcelona’s salary limit status, and their intention is to investigate the potential Williams signing down to the last detail.

Athletic are convinced that Barcelona are not in the so-called ‘1:1 spending rule’, and are also unhappy with the false stories appearing in the Catalan media. Reports that Williams has emptied his locker at San Mames, or that Athletic had agreed to accept a fee in instalments, are not true.

After stating last week that Barcelona were in the 1:1 rule, Laporta told MD that they were working towards that end. He also responded to the idea that Athletic were asking questions about their financial status.

“We don’t have bad relations with Athletic. Yes, there have been a series of misunderstandings and incidents in recent years, but you can’t say we have bad relations. We are two clubs with a very long history and long-standing relationships.”

“I don’t understand the reactions they’re having. With all due respect, everyone should look after their own interests. I don’t understand why they’re going to talk about Barca in La Liga. I don’t think it’s right, but they’ll know what they’re doing.”