Nico Williams' new salary

Nico Williams remains at Athletic Club on a blockbuster contract until 2035, earning a starting net salary of €7 million per season – the highest in the squad, surpassing even his brother Iñaki Williams and goalkeeper Unai Simon.

Furthermore, Nico's release clause has been raised from 60 million euros to over 95 million, becoming a huge obstacle for big clubs pursuing him such as Bayern Munich, Chelsea, and Arsenal. This is a clear statement from Athletic: Nico is a key player for the present and the future.

The contract, which runs until the summer of 2035, is designed on a progressive scale – increasing each season based on both individual and team performance. This means that if Nico continues to perform as brilliantly as he did last season, his income will increase even further.

This decision dealt a major blow to Barcelona's ambitions – a team so optimistic that they internally announced the deal was almost "done," only waiting to activate the release clause. But while Laporta remained preoccupied with remote negotiations and overly confident in the "allure of Camp Nou," Athletic Club quietly counterattacked.

After hearing from agent Félix Tainta that Nico wanted to leave (on June 24th), Chairman Jon Uriarte took decisive action. With a stable financial position, Athletic quickly offered an attractive package in terms of both money and future prospects, while also developing a strategic plan to retain Nico.

Nico – the player born in 2002 and a great hope of Spanish football – has chosen to stay at his "childhood home," as he himself shared: "When I have to make a decision, the most important thing for me is my heart. I am where I want to be, with my loved ones. This is my home. Aúpa Athletic!"

The message was broadcast in the contract extension announcement video , filmed right at the famous Lutxana wall – a place often used for special milestones of the club.

By successfully retaining Nico Williams, Athletic not only secured a quality signing but also sent a clear signal about their ambition to reach greater heights in European competition.

As for Barça, this is the second time in a row they've been "rejected" by Nico. Last year, it was a harsh phone call while the team was on tour in the US. This year, it was a complete failure from start to finish – exposing their financial problems and losing the opportunity to "gift" Lamine Yamal, their closest friend in the national team.

For Laporta, this was not just a negotiation failure. It was a symbolic failure.