Athletic Club has locked in one of its top stars for the long term. Nico Williams signed a contract extension through June 30, 2035, a major commitment from a club built around retaining players with Basque heritage.
The renewal was announced on July 4 and formally signed on July 15. Williams had been under contract through 2027 before the extension, but the new agreement pushes that date eight more years into the future.
The move matters because Athletic Club operates with a unique transfer policy and rarely gets the chance to keep a player of Williams' profile for this long. At 22 years old, he already has 167 first-team appearances and 31 goals, giving the club a proven attacking option as it prepares for the 2025-26 Champions League.
What the new deal means
Reports around the extension point to a release clause of roughly €90M, a notable increase from the earlier €58-62M range. The financial terms are also significant, with Williams set to earn about €21M per year, or roughly €10M per year after taxes.
That kind of investment reflects both his importance on the field and the club's desire to avoid another summer of uncertainty. Williams had previously been linked with Barcelona, and there were reports that a verbal agreement had been reached before the deal fell apart. Instead, Athletic Club moved quickly to secure a player who remains central to its plans.
The timing also fits the club's broader rise. Athletic Club is heading into the 2025-26 Champions League after qualifying for Europe's premier club competition for the first time in over 11 seasons. Keeping Williams in place gives the team a proven attacker as the level of competition increases.
For Athletic Club and Nico Williams, the message is clear: the partnership is meant to last.
