Revealed: La Liga star REJECTS Man Utd move
Cameron Smith
- 3 Dec 2023 09:44 CST
- 3 min read
Spain international Unai Simon has his heart set on staying at Athletic Club for the foreseeable future, according to reports, while he has also rejected moves to Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Saudi Arabia.
The 26-year-old has a contract at the LaLiga club until 2025, but both parties are reportedly keen on extending his stay at San Mames.
Simon has been Athletic’s first-choice goalkeeper for the past four-and-a-half years and given their policy of only signing players from the Basque Country, he is not particularly replaceable.
However, the Spanish international wants to stay at the club, as per Fichajes. The Spanish outlet have reported: “Unai Simón's intention to continue reflects his deep-rooted desire to continue with the club of his heart, making it clear that his objective is to remain beyond the tempting offers he may receive from other teams.
“His commitment and loyalty to Athletic are evident, prioritising his career and development within the red and white entity over possible proposals from more renowned or economical foreign clubs.”
It is understood that contract negotiation talks will commence in the coming days, while Simon has also rejected the advances of Man Utd, Bayern and Saudi Pro League clubs.
News of Simon’s desire to remain at the club comes following Nico William’s contract extension last week.
🧤 One save after another.
𝗨𝗻𝗮𝗶 𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗼́𝗻#VillarrealAthletic #AthleticClub 🦁 pic.twitter.com/0BB71A0Xp8— Athletic Club (@Athletic_en) November 7, 2023
Nico Williams signs new Athletic Club deal
Williams' new deal runs until 2027. The Bilbao side did not disclose whether or not his contract contains a release clause but reports prior to the agreement suggested it could - and a quite affordable one at that.
The 21-year-old will continue to attract interest over the course of the season and it is likely that this extension is simply a means to ensure that he will not depart for free. It has been rumoured that a €50 million release clause will be part of his deal to make a future move possible.
Time will tell what the youngster's plans for the future are, but a summer transfer remains a distinct possibility despite his new deal. Big clubs will come knocking at the end of the season and a fee of 'just' €50m would see him become the club's third-most-expensive sale.
