Nico Williams tops the list of the longest-lasting contracts

The football world has just witnessed a true shocker. Nico Williams, the gifted winger from Athletic Bilbao, has announced the extension of his contract with his boyhood club all the way until 2035.

This unexpected move caught many by surprise, especially after persistent rumors had linked him with an imminent transfer to FC Barcelona. Several media outlets even reported a verbal agreement between the two clubs, with a release clause set at €58 million.

Against all odds, Athletic Bilbao responded by offering their star an eight-year extension, raising his release clause to a staggering €90 million. It’s a bold statement of faith in their young prodigy—one that stunned both fans and pundits alike.

With this new deal, Nico Williams now holds the longest contract in modern football history, surpassing even that of Norwegian striker Erling Haaland.

Nico Williams leads the ranking of the longest contracts

Here are the players currently holding the lengthiest contracts:

Nico Williams (Athletic Bilbao) – contract until 2035 (10 years remaining)

Erling Haaland (Manchester City) – until 2034

Cole Palmer (Chelsea) – until 2033

João Pedro (Chelsea) – until 2033

Nicolas Jackson (Chelsea) – until 2033

Davio Essugo (Chelsea) – until 2033

Mamadou Sarr (Chelsea) – until 2033

Kendry Páez (Chelsea) – until 2033

Enzo Fernández (Chelsea) – until 2032

Mike Benders (Chelsea) – until 2032

Oihan Sancet (Athletic Bilbao) – until 2032

Dani Vivian (Athletic Bilbao) – until 2032

Also read: Javier Tebas warns Barcelona about the Nico Williams case!

Mohamed Rek |

Editorfr, ar, en

Mohamed Rek- sports content writer with over 10 years of experience creating football content in Arabic and French for platforms such as Foot Africa and Starafrica, combining accuracy, creativity, and audience engagement.