Athletic Club captain comes in support of Barcelona-bound star after fans backlash | OneFootball

Nico Williams is quite clearly Barcelona’s next big target in the ongoing summer transfer window and the player is leaving no stone unturned to ensure the move goes through.

Having lost out on the chance to sign for the Catalan giants last summer, he has taken it upon himself to lead the talks this time around and has kept all other offers on hold while Barcelona figure out the financial aspect of the deal.

Nico’s interest in signing for Barcelona, thus, is an open secret at this point in time and both the Catalan and Basque media are aware of the same. Complicated relations between Barcelona and Athletic Club, however, render the negotiations complicated.

The Basque Country reacts violently

Earlier today, a mural of Nico Williams in an Athletic Club shirt was damaged in the streets of Bilbao, showing the clear dissatisfaction of the club’s faithful over the player’s decision to sign for Barcelona.

Now, Nico’s brother, Inaki Williams, has come out on his official X account in support of his younger sibling, calling the cowardly act a ‘lack of respect’ committed by a ‘small person’.

“Behind an anonymous lack of respect, there is always someone too small to show their face,” he wrote.

The elder sibling is right in his approach to the situation, for Nico has been nothing but loyal to Athletic Club over the years and has stood by the Basque club’s crest for several years now.

Now faced with the option of leaving and engraving his name in history as one of Spain’s best wingers, it is no surprise that he is looking for a move to a serious UEFA Champions League contender in Barcelona.

After all, his adaptation at the Blaugrana club will be simple given the great bond he shares with the likes of Lamine Yamal, Pedri, Gavi and other Spanish internationals.

As of earlier today, Bayern Munich submitted a final bid with a lucrative salary to lure Nico away from Barcelona and it remains to be seen if the winger is budged by the effort. There is, however, a good chance he rejects it for a chance to join Barcelona.