Liverpool are yet to hold any contact with Athletic Bilbao over Oihan Sancet or Nico Williams despite reports about the Reds interest.
That’s according to journalist Àlex de Llano, who say that there is ‘neither formal interest’ or ‘negotiations of any kind’ with Liverpool over the duo.
They have been linked with the Bilbao pair over the last week or so, with reports stating that the Reds are eyeing them up ahead of a potential summer rebuild.
Sancet and Williams have been impressing in La Liga this season, with the former sitting on seven goals in 20 games so far and Williams on five goals and an assists in 18 games.
Despite those claims of Liverpool’s interest, though, De Lano reports that he knows that at this moment ‘there is no formal interest or negotiations of any kind’ with Athletic about the duo.
Estadio Deportivo also cover the interest, explaining that the termination clause for both players is €50m, although that is a ‘small price’ for an English side to pay. That is why Athletic Bilbao want to get the pair signed to new deals and move those clauses up to €65m.
Either way, they say ‘it should be stressed’ that the club would stick to their policy if Liverpool were to come seriously calling and would only be willing to do a deal if those clauses were met.
Those in charge at San Mames are ‘not even thinking about’ a departure for either player and relations would have to be ‘very strained’ for them to leave Bilbao.
That of course changes if a club like Liverpool shows a willingness or desire to pay their release clauses, which at the moment they are not doing.
Se ha publicado en Inglaterra que el Liverpool se ha interesado e incluso está negociando con el Athletic por Sancet y/o Nico Williams. Me consta que en este momento no hay ni interés formal ni negociaciones de ningún tipo con el Athletic por parte de los ingleses.
— Àlex de Llano (@AlexDeLlano) February 9, 2023
