Nico Williams "anti-counterfeiting" storm: Is the dream of a wealthy family shattered or reborn in Nirvana? A deep analysis of the dilemma and future of the genius winger

A "character collapse" caused by a crushing defeat

On May 2, 2025, Athletic Bilbao defeated Manchester United 0-3 in the first leg of the Europa League semi-finals. 22-year-old Spanish winger Nico Williams was invisible throughout the game and was completely locked by Manchester United's defense, becoming the focus of public opinion after the game. Previously, he attracted much attention for asking for a high-profile weekly salary of 400,000 pounds and rumored to have scandals with giants such as Arsenal and Chelsea. Now this "disaster-level performance" is nicknamed by fans as a "anti-counterfeiting scene" - is this genius who was once praised as the "future star of European football" just a flash in the pan? Can his dream of a wealthy family withstand the cruel test of reality?

From "highlight genius" to "strike in the trough"

In the 2024 European Cup, Nico helped Spain win the championship with 2 goals and 1 assist, and his value soared to 70 million euros. Barcelona, ​​Bayern, Arsenal and other giants flocked to us, and the agent even took the opportunity to shout out the sky-high demand for "a weekly salary of over 400,000 pounds after the transfer." At that time, he was Bilbao's offensive core, averaging 2.7 passes and 1.5 key passes per game, and was known as the "Basque Messi".

However, Nico's form took a sharp turn at the beginning of this season: only 1 goal was made in the first seven games of La Liga, and the key data shrank completely (1.6 out of the players, 1.3 key passes), and was even questioned for "reliance on the system." Even more ironic, his high salary requirements this season are in stark contrast to his sluggish performance, with Bilbao fans beginning to question his loyalty.

Although Nico's form recovered after March 2025 (6 goals and 2 assists in the last 7 games), the silence of the Europa League semi-finals once again exposed its shortcomings of "soft tough battles". Compared with 11 goals and 7 assists last season, his ups and downs have discouraged the giants.

The interest calculation behind the termination fee

Arsenal's new director Berta had a secret talk with Nico's agent as early as April 2025, intending to attack with the termination fee. But Chelsea is cautious about signing contracts with high salaries due to the fiscal fairness bill restrictions. Behind the Gunners' positive attitude is the desire for their "wing-road burst point" attribute, especially the Arteta system urgently needs a breakthrough winger.

Barcelona once regarded Nico as the "right answer", but the outbreak of Rafinia cooled down its demand. In addition to Nico's unstable condition, Barcelona prefers to wait and see, and even considers lowering the price to below 50 million euros. Nico's statement that "no one will go unless Barcelona" has restricted his own choice space.

Bayern continues to pay attention to Nico and regards him as a replacement for Gnabri; Liverpool has listed him as an alternative due to Salah's age issue. However, neither club has formally offered a bid, and is more of a negotiation strategy to pressure existing goals.

Bilbao's "Double-edged Sword": Champions League qualification and loyalty kidnap

Nico has made public statements many times: "If Bilbao advances to the Champions League, I will stay in the team." The current ranking of fourth in La Liga makes this goal within reach. However, after the UEFA Champions League defeat, the hope of winning the championship is slim, and the team's fate is in the last two rounds of the league. Once successful, Nico may be forced to fulfill his "loyalty promise", but if he fails, the transfer is almost certain.

Bilbao is famous for its "pureblood policy". As a treasure of youth training, Nico will be regarded as a "traitor" after leaving the team. Chairman Urutiya strongly declared that "Nico is not a seller" and even refused to pay a raise to keep him, kidnapped him based on emotions only. This "feeling card" is becoming increasingly powerless in the golden wave of football, but it has profoundly influenced Nico's psychological choices.

Future Outlook: Three Paths and Destiny Betting

If Bilbao locks in the Champions League qualification, Nico can continue to swipe data with its core position, but La Liga is limited in competitiveness. Once the performance is mediocre, its value may plummet. In addition, the weekly salary requirement of £400,000 is seriously in conflict with Bilbao's salary structure, and negotiations on renewal are doomed to be difficult.

Arsenal and Chelsea can provide top-notch salaries, but the intensity of Premier League confrontation may amplify their technical shortcomings (such as weak ability to reverse the foot). Referring to Sancho's failed case at Manchester United, Nico needs to be vigilant about "not adapting to the local environment".

The stage temptation of Camp Nou is huge, but under the Barcelona financial crisis, Nico may become "cheap and combat power" and may even be asked to cut salary. In addition, the competitive relationship with Yamal will test its psychological resilience.

The dilemma of genius and the cruel truth of football

Nico Williams' dilemma reflects the cruel logic of modern football: talent needs to be fulfilled with stability, loyalty needs to be defended with achievements, and the door of wealthy families is never open to hesitant. His choice is not only a choice of career paths, but also an ultimate game about ambition, sentiment and interests.