Nico Williams considered Athletic Club exit, agent Félix Tainta says

Paris Saint-Germain were among several leading European clubs interested in signing Nico Williams before the Athletic Club winger decided to remain in Bilbao, according to his agent, Félix Tainta.

The Spanish international attracted interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs following his impressive performances for Spain. Tainta revealed that Barcelona, Bayern Munich, PSG, Arsenal and Liverpool were all keen to secure the winger’s services.

Speaking on the Los Fulanos podcast, the agent highlighted the level of interest in his client and the difficulty of turning down offers from several major clubs.

“Everyone wanted Nico: Barça, Bayern Munich, PSG, Arsenal, Liverpool… Finding a player who says no to all these teams is not easy,” he said.

The comments confirm that PSG were among the clubs pursuing Williams, who became a highly sought-after player after his performances for the Spanish national team.

Despite the interest, the winger chose to continue his career at Athletic Club during the summer of 2025. He subsequently committed his future to the Basque side by signing a contract that runs until 2035.

However, his decision to stay in Bilbao has not completely ruled out the possibility of a future departure. According to Tainta, Williams had considered leaving the club as he looked to take the next step in his career.

Nico Williams considered leaving Athletic Club

Tainta acknowledged that his client had ambitions to move elsewhere, suggesting that a departure from Athletic Club had been a genuine possibility.

“Nico had the idea of ​​leaving, because he is ambitious,” the agent said.

Barcelona were among the clubs involved in discussions over a potential transfer. The Catalan side had hoped to bring the winger to the club, but the move ultimately failed to materialise.

Financial uncertainty proved to be a major obstacle for Barcelona, who were unable to guarantee that they could register Williams as a player. The situation prevented the proposed transfer from progressing, leaving the Spain international to continue his career at Athletic Club.

The failed move highlighted the financial challenges Barcelona faced in pursuing the winger, despite their interest in securing his signature.

Williams has since remained tied to Athletic Club on a long-term contract until 2035. Nevertheless, his agent’s comments indicate that the possibility of leaving Bilbao had been considered, with the player’s ambition playing a role in those discussions.

PSG’s interest also underlines the competition Williams attracted from leading European clubs. Alongside the French champions, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Arsenal and Liverpool were all named by Tainta as clubs that wanted to sign the winger.

For now, Williams remains committed to Athletic Club, having opted against a move away from Bilbao in the summer of 2025.