La Liga President Issues Stern Warning to Barcelona Over Nico Williams Transfer Pursuit
Javier Tebas, the president of La Liga, has stated that Barcelona has not yet achieved compliance with the 1:1 financial regulations, while cautioning the Catalan club that they must "adhere to the established rules" in their pursuit of Athletic Club's winger Nico Williams.
Athletic Club has openly declared that they conducted a meeting with La Liga representatives to express their worries regarding Barcelona's financial capability to secure Williams' transfer. The player has already reached a personal agreement with Hansi Flick's team and carries a €62 million ($72.6 million) release clause.
This situation led to an irritated reaction from Barcelona's president Joan Laporta, who maintained their transparency and admitted the club still needs to complete certain requirements before achieving 1:1 spending compliance.
"The Barcelona president himself has stated this - they haven't reached the 1:1 regulation," Tebas informed EFE. "I hope they achieve it soon, as I desire for all clubs to reach this status.
"However, as I consistently mention, Barcelona understands their obligations to meet the 1:1 regulation since the rules are clearly established. Athletic also comprehends Barcelona's requirements, given our transparency in February to eliminate any Financial Fair Play doubts.
"Both Athletic and Barcelona are aware of their responsibilities if they recall that division meeting and remain attentive. We will implement the existing regulations.
"While I wish for Barcelona to achieve the 1:1 regulation, this doesn't automatically grant them player acquisition rights. They must possess the financial capacity for signings. For instance, if they want to acquire players worth €100 million ($117.1 million), they must generate equivalent income. Everyone should perform their calculations. Clubs employ specialists who fully understand Financial Fair Play operations."
Tebas further acknowledged that La Liga clubs have become more vigilant regarding Barcelona's financial status following a February meeting where representatives from all clubs discussed the consequences of their Dani Olmo acquisition, whose registration was initially revoked due to financial issues before Spanish government intervention.
"Athletic is raising concerns because Barcelona has publicly announced, assuming Deco's attributed statements are accurate, their intention to sign a player," the La Liga president elaborated.
"Our approach, as always, will be ensuring Barcelona complies with regulations for any player signings, whether it's Nico Williams, [Erling] Haaland, [Lionel] Messi, or anyone else. We won't modify our stance.
"Athletic doesn't need to take notes; explaining Financial Fair Play concerns is our responsibility. We maintain transparency. While we don't disclose clubs' detailed financial information, it's understood because of the February division meeting where salary cap rationales were clarified, including Barcelona's circumstances due to the Olmo situation."