Liverpool Transfer News: Latest Rumours on Inaki Williams Release Clause

Athletic Bilbao are reportedly keen to increase the buyout clause of star Inaki Williams amid rumours Liverpool and Juventus are interested in the winger.

According to Catalan outlet Mundo Deportivo (h/t Calciomercato.com), the current clause of €50 million is deemed insufficient given the 23-year-old's significant talent. While he's still under contract until 2021, the Basques are willing to raise his wages to get the higher clause done.

ANDER GILLENEA/Getty Images

Mundo Deportivo (h/t Annie Eaves of Sport Witness) previously reported Williams was being tracked by the Reds and Borussia Dortmund during the summer. The player told AS (h/t Eaves) he was flattered by their supposed interest:

"That big teams are interested in you or you can see yourself linked to them, you like it, it's a sign that you're doing well.

"I don't know what I'm worth. The president put that clause and what has to come will come."

Williams is a full Spain international and has been a regular at the San Mames since 2014. A graduate of Bilbao's famed academy, he's mostly known for his exceptional athleticism and solid vision.

Marco Rosi/Getty Images

This season, he has scored two goals and added three assists in eight La Liga appearances. He has mostly played on the right wing but has also featured as a striker, highlighting his versatility.

Here's a look at some of his highlights:

Williams has been a popular name in the transfer gossip pages for some time now, but so far, the speedster has given every indication he wants to stay in Bilbao. Like so many Bilbao players, he appears to have a special connection with the club, and the team's policy will make it difficult to enter negotiations.

Athletic only sign players who are Basque or have a close connection to the Basque Country, giving them a limited pool of talent to work with. As a result, Los Leones tend to be very difficult to deal with in the transfer market―they prefer not to sell their players unless they absolutely have to.

Alvaro Barrientos/Associated Press

The saga involving Manchester United and Ander Herrera is a prime example of how difficult it is to deal with Athletic―as reported by the Guardian, it took the Red Devils a full year to bring the midfielder to Old Trafford.

Aymeric Laporte has also been a regular topic of speculation for years―Sport (h/t Goal.com) published reports he had agreed to a move to Manchester City as early as February of 2016―yet despite the rumours, he's still a member of Athletic.

The €50 million clause for Williams would be exceptional value for a club like Liverpool in January, so it shouldn't come as a surprise if Athletic try to boost that figure. In all likelihood, the winger will agree to the new deal, ensuring his hometown club receive fair value when he does leave.