Why I Signed 10-Year Contract With Athletic Bilbao – Williams
Nico Williams has opened up on his decision to sign a new 10-year contract renewal at Athletic Bilbao ahead of the 2025-26 La Liga season.
Williams turned down a move to Bayern Munich and Barcelona to extend his deal at the Basque club, where he started his career.
The likes of Arsenal and Chelsea also made enquiries about him earlier in the summer.
He joined Athletic Bilbao’s youth academy in 2013, and he was promoted to the reserve team in 2020 and to the first team a year later.
He signed a new 10-year deal with the club on Tuesday while expressing his desire to make history at San Mamés.
Williams said, “I think we have a very long season ahead of us. We have very ambitious titles like the Champions League, which everyone would like to play in. What could be better than doing it with the club of my life? I would like to continue making history here at San Mamés, with the fans, with my family, and with a lot of enthusiasm.”
Nico’s brother, Inaki, will captain the club this season, and he is delighted to continue playing alongside his older brother.
He said, “We’ve both always dreamed of this moment. My brother is a role model for everyone, especially for me. I think he’s the best person to be captain, and I can’t wait to see him wearing the armband for a long time.
Nico Williams was born in Pamplona to Ghanaian refugee parents, who travelled across the Sahara Desert to reach Melilla, a Spanish city in Northern Africa.
He made his debut for the Spanish national team, making his debut in a 2–1 home defeat against Switzerland in 2022.
Athletic Bilbao finished fourth in the 2024-25 La Liga season.
Why I Signed 10-Year Contract With Athletic Bilbao – Williams is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
