Athletic Club and Barcelona have certainly endured strained relations over the last couple of years, and the chance for Los Leones to get one over on the Catalan giants is received with open arms these days. Midfield star Mikel Jauregizar’s response over a hypothetical move to Barcelona has gone down well with Athleticzales as a result.
During a press conference held by Athletic, Jauregizar was asked what he would say were Barcelona to swoop for him as they did with Williams. His blunt response was well received in the Basque Country, saying simply, ‘No.’
“[It’s] a dream come true. The fact that the club is putting such a strong faith in me makes me very proud. That shows how proud we are and how much we want to play for Athletic and in this project,” he told Diario AS.
Williams enjoyed a momentous return to action at San Mames last Sunday, roared on by the fans as he scored and gave two assists in a 3-2 win over Sevilla. He will be the face of the team in Bilbao, while Jauregizar behind him is set for his first season as a de facto starter.
The 21-year-old scored against Manchester United in the Europa League semi-final last season, and became one of the hardest midfielders in Spain to play against. He was also involved in Spain’s under-21 side at the Euros this past summer as a starting option for Santi Denia.
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