New release clause for Athletic Club’s Nico Williams revealed

Athletic Club star Nico Williams is likely to be a star at San Mames for some time, after signing a new 10-year deal with Los Leones. In the process, he turned down two major moves to play Champions League football in Bilbao instead.

Williams’ agent had contacted Barcelona to reveal that his client was interested in a move to Catalonia this summer, after turning them down last year. However Felix Tainta demanded guarantees that Williams would be registered, or clauses that allowed him to leave were he left unable to play, something Barcelona could not provide in the first instance, and would not in the second.

Nico Williams increases release clause

A number of clubs were interested in Williams, with Arsenal and Chelsea following him. Bayern Munich were the first to communicate they would pay his €58m release clause, before Barcelona got involved again. Most of Europe’s top sides saw his clause as affordable for a player of his stature, but his new deal until 2035 has increased his release clause.

Athletic announced that the clause would increase by more than 50% from the current deal. That means the new clause will be somewhere over €87m, a much more significant outlay for any side in the world, and more in line with other top young wingers. Fabrizio Romano reports that it will be in the region of €95-100m.

🔴⚪️ Nico Williams new deal will include release clause now worth around €95/100m.

Athletic director Mikel Gonzalez got the green light from Nico once again, as it happens one year after he travelled to Germany at the Euros to convince the player in July 2024. pic.twitter.com/xWOigHTjkt

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 4, 2025

Athletic regain control

Given Williams had ‘outgrown’ his previous release clause, Los Leones now have more control over his future. Athletic, as a club policy, tend not to negotiate for their top players, demanding their release clause is paid in full – as was the case this year.

Luis Díaz is now Barcelona’s plan A, and Marcus Rashford is plan B. @ffpolo

— barcacentre (@barcacentre) July 4, 2025

The price to pay will be double for Athletic. Diario AS report that Williams will double his salary in Bilbao. Bayern had offered him a deal at €12m per annum, but Athletic’s contract will continue to rise season upon season, starting from €7m per year. Athletic mentioned in their statement that Williams turned down ‘dizzying offers’.