Arsenal get Nico Williams transfer lifeline as Barcelona talks 'stall' over two demands

Nico Williams' expected move to Barcelona has reportedly stalled, despite an apparent verbal agreement between the player and the club. The Catalan giants have been trying to secure his signature for two consecutive summers. Last year, Williams chose to stay with Athletic Club, despite interest from Barcelona, but now seems eager to make the switch to Camp Nou. The forward, who is also on Arsenal's radar, has informed his current club of his desire to join the La Liga champions in the upcoming transfer window.

However, what seemed like a straightforward deal is now reportedly at a standstill, according to Mundo Deportivo. The two unexpected 'high demands' from the player's agent during contract discussions are said to be the cause of the delay. One issue is that Williams wants assurance over his registration. Last year, Barcelona were unable to register new signing Dani Olmo until January due to La Liga's financial regulations.

The club reportedly finds this demand unreasonable as it was not part of the initial negotiations. However, Williams does not want to experience the same situation as his international team-mate. Agent fees are also another point of contention.

Barcelona, under Hansi Flick, are said to have assured that they will be able to register him for the start of the season. But it seems this guarantee has not been convincing enough.

While Barca have the option to activate Williams' release clause, they face opposition from Athletic Club, who are urging La Liga to monitor Barcelona's registration capacity closely and have condemned their public pursuit of the player.

This situation may create an opportunity for other interested parties, such as Arsenal and Bayern Munich, to make a move. Despite Williams' preference for Barcelona, the Bundesliga giants remain keen on signing the 22-year-old and are reportedly willing to pay his £49.6million release clause.

Notably, Bilbao would prefer to see Williams join Bayern over Barcelona.

Regarding a potential deal for Williams, Barcelona's sporting director Deco commented: "We need to strengthen in this position.

"As wingers, we only really have Lamine [Yamal] and Raphinha. From there, there are names coming out and it will come down to price and quality.

"Nico was there last year but for me, at that time, Dani Olmo was the priority. Now. the same as with other players, Nico is showing a strong desire to come ... And if the right conditions are met in his case, we'll definitely try to complete the deal.

"There's a process with any signing: speaking with agents, clubs, knowing the contractual situation ... Nico's case it clear because he has a release clause. We've met with his agent to see what he wants and we will see if it's possible."