Barcelona president Joan Laporta has hit out at Athletic Club amid speculation the Basque outfit could try to block their pursuit of Nico Williams.
An agreement over personal terms between Barcelona and Williams has been struck, and the Spain international is reported to have tried to encourage Athletic to show some flexibility when it comes to the receipt of his release clause which, when all fees are included, is believed to sit at €62 million ($72.2 million).
That approach has not been met positively by Athletic. Cadena SER were the first to report that club officials were preparing to lodge a formal complaint with La Liga, accusing Barcelona of failing to fall under the 1:1 spending rules and, therefore, lacking the financial capacity to make such a payment.
Laporta was asked about the claims of Athletic’s action and did not hold back as he voiced his disappointment.
“We don’t have bad relations with Athletic,” he vowed. “Yes, there have been a series of misunderstandings and incidents in recent years, but you can’t say we have bad relations, we are two clubs with a very long history and with relationships that go back a long time.
“I don’t understand the reactions they are having, with all due respect, each one should look after their own, I don’t understand why they are going to talk about Barça to La Liga, I don’t think it’s right, but they will know what they are doing.”
Laporta went on to suggest that Barcelona are not, in fact, under La Liga’s 1:1 spending rules but assured fans they are working towards that benchmark.
“We are working to be in the 1:1 rule, we were already in it in the winter market,” he continued. “All the steps have been taken to be able to sign normally, to not be financially intervened by ‘fair play’ as happened until winter. We have to comply with certain parameters, which is what we are doing and depending on that, we will be able to sign and register the two players we want to sign... or register.”
According to SPORT, Athletic officials have made it abundantly clear that they will not do anything to facilitate Williams’s exit. Claims of a verbal pact between the two parties, allegedly formed when Williams opted to stay last summer, have been firmly dismissed.
Central to Athletic’s frustration is the very public manner of Barcelona’s approach to Williams. Staff and players alike have never shied away from discussing their admiration of the 22-year-old, with Athletic left thoroughly unimpressed.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Barcelona President Offers Heated Response to Athletic Club’s Nico Williams ‘Threat’.