The Real Reason the Deal Failed: Not Money, But “Dignity”
At first, doubts surrounded Barcelona’s ability to register the player due to Financial Fair Play regulations. However, a shocking story later emerged in the Spanish newspaper Sport, revealing the real reason behind the player’s refusal.
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According to the report, tensions began to escalate between Barcelona’s sporting director, Deco, and the player’s agent, Felix Tainta. As negotiations became increasingly complicated, Barcelona decided to bypass the agent and speak directly with the player.
But the issue didn’t stop there. The Catalan club sent a WhatsApp message to Nico, suggesting that he replace his agent with another, such as Jorge Mendes or Pini Zahavi. This was considered a “direct insult” by the player’s family.
Nico’s Quick Decision and His Family’s Relationship with the Agent
The Williams family has had a long-standing relationship with agent Felix Tainta, who played a major role in nurturing the careers of both Nico and his brother, Iñaki. Therefore, Barcelona’s proposal was met not with indifference, but with outright anger.
Within hours, Nico made the decision to end any negotiations with Barcelona and signed a contract renewal with Bilbao on the same day. The announcement video was even recorded that same night!
Barcelona’s Dream of Signing the Spanish Winger Turns into a Mirage
Barcelona’s dream of signing the Spanish winger was dashed due to an administrative error in communication and a “misjudgment” of the value of the relationship between the player and his agent.
Will This Story Be Repeated with Other Stars?
It’s worth noting that Barcelona had hoped to facilitate the deal by working with agents with whom it has excellent relationships, such as Jorge Mendes (the agent of Lamine Yamal, Ansu Fati, and Alejandro Balde) or Pini Zahavi (the agent of Lewandowski and Flick). There’s even talk that Frenkie de Jong himself might soon appoint Zahavi.
However, what Barcelona’s management hasn’t realized is that some players place family loyalty above all else, a lesson that will likely be painful but necessary for the future of negotiations at the Catalan club.
