Barcelona have been forced to look at other alternatives following Nico Williams' contract extension at Athletic Bilbao.

In what felt like a transfer saga heading toward a fairytale ending, Barcelona’s pursuit of Nico Williams reached a dead end that few inside the club saw coming. After months of groundwork, verbal agreements, and a public show of intent from both president Joan Laporta and sporting director Deco, the 22-year-old winger chose to stay put.

The breakdown in negotiations came following the revelation that Barcelona are not yet operating under La Liga’s 1:1 financial rules and, as it stands, would not be able to register Williams in their squad—a similar dilemma which plagued the club after last season’s acquisition of Dani Olmo.