Speaking on the Los Fulanos podcast, Tainta described how negotiations with Barcelona developed after the European Championship in 2024 and why he ultimately advised the Spain international against taking the risk. His account places the practical question of whether Williams could play ahead of the attraction of joining one of Europe’s biggest clubs.
“Everyone knows about Barcelona’s interest in the summer of 2024, after the European Championship. Barcelona, Arsenal, Bayern, Liverpool, Paris Saint-Germain — I could name all of them. Everyone wanted Nico, and having a footballer who says no to all those clubs is not easy.
“From there, we spoke with Barcelona. Athletic knew about it because I kept them informed at every stage, even though Athletic Club were angry with Barcelona about the way they had handled things. At a certain point in the negotiations, Nico could not afford to be left without playing. Nico is a Formula One car, and if I go to your house, I cannot take on your problem. I made that clear to Barcelona.”
Tainta said he had dealt directly with Barcelona sporting director Deco. The negotiations, he explained, reached a point where the lack of certainty over registration made a transfer too risky for a player who needed to continue his career uninterrupted.
“If there were no certain guarantees, we could not risk Nico going there and then not playing, with a World Cup coming up. And even without a World Cup, he is a professional who has to practise his profession. I go to your house to do my job, and if you have a problem, that should not affect me. If you cannot give me security that it will not affect me, then perhaps I have to change my mind.”
Tainta said discussions had taken place in both the summer of 2024 and the following year, with the later talks becoming even more significant. But he insisted that his responsibility was to protect his client rather than accept a move at any cost.
He also rejected the idea that the negotiations meant a breakdown in relations with Barcelona, arguing that straightforward dealings mattered more than whether the parties ultimately agreed.
The agent said Athletic understood that Williams might seek a new challenge, but the player eventually chose to renew instead. Tainta argued that Williams could have left on a free transfer and received a substantial signing-on payment elsewhere, but did not do so.
“We could have left for free with an incredible signing-on bonus, and we didn’t. The lad was loyal to Athletic.”
Tainta’s account presents the failed Barcelona move not as a lack of ambition from Williams, but as a decision driven by the need for certainty: a transfer offered little value if the club could not guarantee he would be able to play.