Barcelona 'ready' to trigger release clause of Spain star

The Blaugrana have made signing a new winger one of their top priorities ahead of Hansi Flick's first season in charge.

They have ultimately earmarked Williams' as one of their top targets after being left impressed by his performances for both club and country.

Last season, Williams scored eight goals and provided 19 assists in 37 competitive appearances across all competitons, helping Athletic win the Copa del Rey and secure a fifth-place finish.

The 22-year-old went on to play a prominent role in Spain's successful Euro 2024 campaign, starting six of his country's seven matches.

Barcelona step up Williams pursuit

Williams registered three goal contributions at the European Championships, including a goal in the 2-1 win over England in the final.

The Athletic Bilbao attacker impressed down the left flank in Germany, while Lamine Yamal was a constant threat of Spain's right wing.

Barcelona are seemingly keen to reunite the pair at club level as they look to bounce back from a trophyless campaign.

According to Sport, Barcelona will have no issue in paying Williams's €58m (£48m) release clause despite their well-documented financial issues.

The report claims the Blaugrana are ready to trigger the release clause once they have reached an agreement with Williams over personal terms.

Williams wants assurances that he will be registered without any issues, with Barcelona confident they will be able to meet the player's request.

Valverde addresses Williams exit rumours

The Catalan giants are hopeful they can make swift progress and secure Williams's signature within the next 10 days.

However, Athletic Bilbao boss Ernesto Valverde believes Williams's future is not a forgone conclusion, insisting the forward is "happy" with his situation at San Mames.

"I have no doubts about Nico," Valverde told reporters. "He looks good and happy. This year we have many challenges ahead of us and I'm sure Nico will love to face them.

"He hasn't been the only player who has had to live with rumours because the market will be open until the end of August. He's a great player and there may be clubs who might be interested in him, but he's happy with us and we're happy with him. We're counting on Nico for when he returns from the holidays."

Williams, who came through the Athletic youth system, has made a total of 122 competitive appearances for the Basque club, scoring 20 goals and providing 26 assists.