Barcelona will reportedly not be reigniting their interest in Athletic Bilbao attacker Nico Williams during this summer's transfer window, with a potential move for the Spain international off the table.
The Catalan outfit signalled a willingness to pay the €55m (£47m) release clause in Williams' Athletic deal last summer, but the attacker turned down the chance to make the move to Hansi Flick's side in order to continue with at San Mames.
The 22-year-old was outstanding for Spain at Euro 2024, scoring twice and one assist in six appearances at the competition, while he scored eight goals and registered 19 assists in 37 appearances in all competitions for Athletic last term.
This season, Williams has 10 goals and seven assists in 41 appearances, and he is bidding to help Athletic win the Europa League and also claim a top-four spot in the La Liga table.
There is again a host of speculation surrounding the forward's future, with Barcelona again being linked with his services, while Arsenal are thought to be interested in bringing him to the Premier League.
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Barcelona 'rule out' signing Williams this summer
According to Marca, Barcelona have already made a decision when it comes to Williams, with the Catalan outfit not preparing to move for the attacker during this summer's transfer window.
The report claims that the La Liga team are not currently looking to boost their attacking options, with Ferran Torres and Dani Olmo providing adequate cover to Raphinha and Lamine Yamal.
Robert Lewandowski, meanwhile, has another year left to run on his contract, meaning that Barca will not be making a move for a new centre-forward until next summer's transfer window.
Lewandowski has been in sensational form for Flick's side during the 2024-25 campaign, scoring 40 times and registering three assists in 47 appearances in all competitions, and the Catalan side are said to have made the decision not to sign a long-term replacement for him in the upcoming market.
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Will Williams leave Athletic this summer?
Athletic are a wonderful club, and Williams will not take the decision to leave the Basque side lightly, but he should be looking to move to the next level during this summer's transfer window.
There may well be Champions League football on offer at Athletic next term, but Williams should be playing for a club that is consistently challenging for the biggest trophies, and that could be Arsenal.
Manchester United could also be the perfect destination for him, but the Red Devils would need to win the Europa League this season, potentially beating Athletic in the process, in order to stand a chance of completing a deal.
Barcelona may be made to regret passing on the chance to sign him this summer considering his unique skillset, and it will be fascinating to see which club makes the strongest move for the forward during the upcoming market.
Matt Law
