Athletic Bilbao forward Williams renews contract

Athletic Club Bilbao on Wednesday announced that Spain international striker Inaki Williams has agreed to a new contract which will keep him at the Basque football club until 2025.

Williams has concluded a new deal with a buyout clause of 80 million euros ($97.70 million), which will rise steadily to 108 million euros ($132 million) over the coming years, reports Xinhua news agency.

The 23-year-old product of the club's youth system, who can play as either a center forward or a winger, had attracted attention from clubs such as Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund. But he had always stated his intention was to stay at his hometown club, where his younger brother is also part of the youth system.

"Today is a very happy day for me because I have renewed my commitment to this badge for another eight years. I have always said I am where I want to be, where I have grown up as a player and above all as a person," said Williams.

"Those of us who are part of this club known there is a word that defines us and that is Family and for me the family comes first," he added.

Williams' new deal continues several days of frantic activity for Athletic, who in the past week have extended the contracts of goalkeeper Iago Herrerin, defender Xabi Etxeita and utility player, Inigo Lekue, while also signing Rumanian international left back Cristian Ganea.

Despite being a Romanian international Ganea qualifies for the club's historic policy of only signing players born or raised in the Basque region of Spain. Ganea was brought up in the town of Basauri close to Bilbao, where his parents still run a bar and played for local sides such as Basconia and Indautxu, as well as for the Basque representative side.

--IANS

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