Chelsea have spent plenty of money investing in all positions of the pitch since their new ownership took charge, looking to refresh their ageing squad and cut the wage bill significantly, changing their strategy to acquiring the most talented young players in world football.
One area the Blues have targeted heavily is the winger department, looking to sign young and exciting wide prospects, hoping they can become the next big thing. Since their takeover, Chelsea have made six clear winger signings, and this is without including hybrid wingers such as Cole Palmer and João Félix, who prefer to play centrally.
pedro-neto-chelsea (2)
New signing this summer, Pedro Neto, who joined from Wolves for around £51.4m plus £2.6m add-ons, has already made 16 appearances for the Blues, scoring three goals and providing three assists in his 907 minutes.
But, Chelsea could still be interested in more young wide talents, as links are emerging ahead of the upcoming transfer windows for another talented winger, who is most commonly deployed on the left.
LaLiga star could head to Chelsea
According to reports from The Athletic, Chelsea remain interested in Athletic Bilbao star, Nico Williams, who seemed set on joining Barcelona last summer, before deciding to stay put.
However, as Barcelona wingers are finding form, David Ornstein reports that Barcelona would not be there for Williams, leaving the door open to a Premier League move.
Other interested clubs are said to be Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Tottenham, so the fight for the the Spanish "pace demon", as dubbed by presenter Adam Keys, could be a big one. His release clause is around €55m (£46m), so it is likely the biggest hurdle would be personal terms for the 22-year-old.
Williams has made 18 appearances in all competitions for Athletic this season, scoring two goals, providing five assists, and totalling 1,298 minutes.
Nico Williams Inaki Williams Oihan Sancet
If the Spanish winger was signed by Chelsea, it could spell the end for big-money signing, Mykhailo Mudryk, as both players want to fight for that left-wing spot.
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Williams vs Mudryk comparison
Mudryk is still just 23-years-old, and has made 73 appearances since joining the Blues back in January 2023. The Ukrainian has scored ten goals and provided nine assists in his time at the club, totalling 3,613 minutes on the pitch.
Mudryk-Noah-Chelsea
The speedster is having his best season in a Chelsea shirt so far this campaign, scoring three goals and providing five assists in his 850 minutes. Thus, he is clearly knocking on the door for more Premier League starts, and this could well be his last chance to prove himself, especially if the links to Williams are concrete, and something the Blues wish to act upon.
Williams vs Mudryk comparison
Stats (per 90 mins)
Goals
Assists
xG
xAG
Progressive Carries
Progressive Passes
Shots Total
Key Passes
Shot-Creating Actions
Successful Take-Ons
Stats taken from FBref
When comparing the pair's metrics so far in 2024/25, you can see Williams has that extra creative edge, completing more progressive actions per 90, having a higher shot volume, making more key passes, more shot-creating actions, and completing more successful take-ons.
A pass is considered progressive if the distance between the starting point and the next touch is at least 10 meters closer to the opponent's goal or any completed pass into the penalty area.
Williams has an elite creative skillset, a mixture of blistering pace, the ability to downshift when running with the ball to offset opposition defenders, and the quality in his final ball to pick players out in the box and create big chances.
Spain star Nico Williams
If Mudryk can take his chance, continue to add extra output with his actions, and consistently deliver, then the Blues may decide Williams isn't needed.
However, if by the end of this season Mudryk still hasn't shown enough, the Spanish winger could be the next attacking talent through the door at Chelsea.
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Chelsea could be about to make a move for a huge European talent.