Everyone associated with FC Barcelona assumed that Nico Williams would be wearing their colors next season. Everything seemed almost finalized for the transfer with only a few registration processes left to complete. However, in an unexpected twist, Nico decided to stay at Athletic Club and extended his contract until 2035.
A Friend Who Was Kept in the Dark
Yamal Lamine is someone who did not anticipate this whatsoever. He was in constant communication with Nico during the period leading up to the transfer. As it turns out, Nico was so excited about the move that he was already telling Lamine how excited he was for them to finally wear the same jersey, completely unaware that he was just about to film his renewal video.
So when Athletic revealed the news — a new long-term contract with a considerable salary increases and an improved release clause — Lamine, as well as all of Barça, learned the news the same way everyone else did: through social media.
A Strain That Won’t Heal Overnight
Ultimately, Nico Williams remains in Bilbao as a local legend capturing a deal few teams would equate to in the present climate. Another transfer story Barcelona wanted to close is gone—and for Lamine Yamal, it is even more intimate: a friend who extended wishes he was unable to deliver.
For better or worse, the bond mends or not, classroom relationships are touchy pixels of a larger image: a thousand small trust failures in the Barça dressing room.
