How a WhatsApp message collapsed Barcelona’s move for Nico Williams | OneFootball

A fresh insight into some of the details of Barcelona’s failed move for Athletic Club star Nico Williams this summer has this weekend been forthcoming online.

This comes amid confirmation that the entire operation ultimately fell apart owing to a single message sent via WhatsApp.

The name of wide-man Nico of course dominated the headlines in Catalunya’s capital once more earlier this summer.

As much came after widespread confirmation was forthcoming that Barcelona had reactivated their efforts to bring the 22-year-old in from Athletic.

The saga was kicked back into gear by Nico’s agent, Felix Tainta, who made direct contact with Deco and co. to inform Barca of his client’s eagerness to finally seal his long-awaited Camp Nou switch.

As revealed on Saturday, however, it was also developments surrounding Tainta which later resulted in the transfer’s collapse.

As per a report from Diario Sport, amid growing frustrations with Nico’s representative, a member of the Blaugrana’s board made direct contact with the attacker’s family.

This came to urge Nico to seek out a new agent to close the operation.

And as much, it is understood, marked ‘the beginning of the end’:

‘The Whatsapp message ended up being the beginning of the end. The feeling of the communication was as follows: Leave Tainta and have Jorge Mendes or Pini Zahavi represent you. The suggestion obviously reached the whole family. And the outrage was tremendous.’

Owing to their close, long-term bond with Tainta, the Williams family therefore made the call to completely pull the plug on the move, deeply offended by Barcelona’s actions.

Conor Laird – GSFN