La Liga Chief Reveals Why Barcelona's Nico Williams Transfer Collapsed

Javier Tebas, the president of La Liga, has revealed that Nico Williams chose not to take the "gamble" of waiting for Barcelona to secure the necessary finances to complete his registration during the summer transfer window.

Barcelona had successfully negotiated personal terms with Williams, who appeared eager to join the Catalan club, but uncertainties surrounding their financial capacity to both fund the transfer and register the player cast doubt on the deal earlier this month.

Williams subsequently shocked supporters by not only turning down Barcelona's offer but also committing to a new extended contract, effectively eliminating any possibility of a future move to Camp Nou.

"From what I've been able to gather, Nico Williams was seeking assurance regarding his registration, though I'm unsure of the specific conditions, but Barcelona as a football institution wasn't prepared to provide such guarantees," Tebas explained to ESPN while discussing the collapsed transfer.

"I believe Barcelona finds itself in a comparable position to previous transfer windows, where they would acquire players and delay decisions until the final moments.

"This approach can lead exceptional players to avoid taking chances and entering unpredictable circumstances."

Barcelona, currently not operating under La Liga's 1:1 spending regulations—which allow clubs to spend €1 for every €1 generated—have shifted their focus to alternative targets, including Liverpool's Luis Díaz and Manchester United's Marcus Rashford, with Tebas acknowledging that the defending champions are approaching the ability to finalize such transactions.

"I believe Barcelona understands precisely what steps they need to take, and if they choose to act appropriately, they can acquire players," he continued.

"They're nearly there, in my view. The question remains whether they'll make the necessary decisions to progress further, but they're close to achieving their goals."