Nico Williams’ contract demands at Athletic Club Bilbao are giving Aston Villa a third chance at getting him, after he turned them down on two occasions already.
That’s according to El Correo, who explain the winger insists on a short-term contract and a clause that leaves him open to leaving in the future.
The newspaper explains that Athletic and Willias are getting closer in negotiations over a renewal of his current contract, which expires next summer.
Sources close to those negotiations maintain that those talks are progressing at a good pace and both parties hope to close a renewal soon.
The belief is that he will sign soon, as long as three key issues, his annual salary, the duration of the contract and the termination clause are dealt with to everyone’s satisfaction.
The issue at the moment is finding a deal which suits both parties as Williams is demanding a short-term deal and the inclusion of a release clause that will not block him from leaving in the future. At the moment he has a €50m clause and doesn’t want that to rise too much.
Athletic are willing to accept that as they know there is a risk they can lose the player on a free, as he would be free to speak to clubs under the Bosman ruling from January.
And they are aware that there is interest too, with Aston Villa one of the clubs who have already spoken to him and made it clear that they’re keen.
Indeed, Williams has said no to them on two separate occasions despite Unai Emery having put a lot of effort into convincing him.
The Aston Villa coach tried to convince him in the 2022 January transfer window on a video call and then even met him face-to-face in a hotel in Hondarribia last summer but was unsuccessful.
The inclusion of a release clause keeps a transfer possible, though, if Villa want to try and make it third time lucky.
