Nico Williams's £52.5m move to Barcelona 'blocked' over one of the player's demands

Barcelona have reignited their interest in Nico Williams this summer, but despite an apparent agreement between both parties, the deal has hit another obstacle. The Catalan giants are once again facing difficulties registering the player in La Liga and are refusing to bow to one of the winger’s key demands.

Barca are determined not to repeat past mistakes. Following the registration debacle surrounding Dani Olmo last season, the reigning Spanish champions are being more cautious. However, La Liga president Javier Tebas has made it clear that, for now, it is financially impossible for Barcelona to register Williams under current league regulations.

The 22-year-old, who wants to link up with Lamine Yamal, is demanding contractual guarantees about his future. Specifically, he wants a clause that would allow him to leave for free if Barcelona fail to register him on time. According to Mundo Deportivo, this request has been firmly rejected by the Blaugrana.

Barcelona playing for time as European giants circle

Despite interest from several major European clubs, Williams has never hidden his desire to move to Catalonia. The Euro 2024 winner currently has a €62m (approximately £52.5m) release clause in his contract. But Barcelona are reluctant to risk triggering the clause only for the player to potentially leave on a free transfer within weeks if registration issues persist.

Barca president Joan Laporta will need to find a quick solution to finalise the transfer, especially with Manchester United and Bayern Munich reportedly monitoring the situation. The sale of Ronald Araujo, who has attracted strong interest from Chelsea, could help free up space for Williams to be registered, but for now, Barcelona’s plans remain uncertain.