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Athletic Bilbao captain Oscar de Marcos has warned teammate Nico Williams amid interest from Barcelona and Chelsea. The 22-year-old is a player in demand following his exploits for the Basque Country club and the Spanish national team.
Williams played a pivotal role in firing Luis de La Fuente's Spain side to Euro 2024 glory. Quite naturally, his stocks have risen significantly with Barcelona, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, and Manchester United all reportedly keen on his services.
Oscar de Marcos, who has been a loyal servant to Athletic Bilbao since 2009, has seen Williams come through the club's youth ranks and make a name for himself. The veteran Spanish full-back believes that it will be in the best interest of the 22-year-old to stay at the Estadio San Mames.
The 35-year-old said, as quoted by PSG Talk:
“My opinion is that the best thing for Nico is to stay at Athletic. Because he is 22 years old, because the coach he has has gotten an incredible performance out of him, and because he will have another year there. It seems that when they want you, you have to go. Not everything that glitters is gold.”
Barcelona have been heavily linked with a move for Nico Williams but are reportedly struggling to meet his €58 million release clause. Chelsea have also been strongly linked with the fleet-footed winger but must also balance their books.
Williams scored twice and provided one assist in six appearances for Spain in Euro 2024, including scoring the opening goal in the final. He also enjoyed a brilliant domestic season in 2023-24, scoring eight goals and producing 19 assists in 37 games.
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick wants former Liverpool midfielder Thiago Alcantara to mentor two midfielders: Reports
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick reportedly wants newly appointed coaching team member Thiago Alcantara to mentor two of the club's biggest talents Pedri and Gavi. As claimed by Relevo's Alex Pintanel, Flick believes that the duo could reach the next level under Thiago's guidance.
Thiago announced his decision to hang up his boots this summer after his contract with Liverpool expired and joined Barca as a coach. The 33-year-old enjoyed a glittering career for clubs like Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Liverpool while also being a key player for Spain for a long time.
As per Pintanel, Flick has urged Thiago to closely coach Pedri and Gavi and improve their tactical awareness and technical skills. Thiago also came from the La Masia youth academy and knows the values of the club very well.
Pedri and Gavi are already key players for Barcelona despite being just 21 and 19 years old, respectively. They are regarded among the finest young players on the planet and could certainly evolve under a mentor like Thiago.
