Marcus Rashford’s chances of moving to Barcelona have been improved after Nico Williams sensationally turned down a transfer. The Athletic Bilbao star was strongly linked with a switch to Catalonia this summer.
Barcelona had identified him as a prime target this summer, with it being revealed that they were considering paying a £50m release clause written into his contract. But the move is now off the table after Williams put pen to paper on a stunning new deal with his boyhood club.
Williams, 22, has signed a new 10-year contract with Bilbao that will extend his stay with the club until at least 2035. The fresh deal has also seen Williams’ release clause rise by 50% to around £75m.
Speaking after his new contract was announced, he said: “When decisions have to be made, for me, what weighs most is the heart. I’m where I want to be, with my people, this is my home. Aupa Athletic!”
Meanwhile, Bilbao have even sweetened the deal by offering Williams the club’s iconic number 10 shirt. Speaking about the switch, he said: “It looks great. Love it. It was Muniain’s number. I asked him for it. I’m proud to get this number 10 shirt from Muniain. And to make history as he did.”
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And while Barcelona will be left frustrated by the news that Williams will not be signing for the club, it might see them look at alternative targets. Manchester United star Marcus Rashford has already been linked with a move to Spain.
United chiefs expect Rashford to leave on loan this summer after his fall-out with Ruben Amorim. A move to the Premier League also appears to be off the cards, with Rashford ruling out a switch to London, while he does not want to take a cut to his lofty wages.
And speaking recently, he hinted that he would be open to signing for Barcelona. Asked if he would like to play alongside Lamine Yamal, he said: “Yeah, sure. Everybody in the world wants to play with the best. So hopefully, we’ll see.”
When asked about a switch to Barcelona, he cheekily replied: “We’ll see.” Rashford added: “Spain is nice, not too far from home. If I train here for a long time, it’s good, because my family can come and see me for a few days, it’s only a three-hour flight. The weather is nice here.”