Arsenal's pursuit of Nico Williams appears to be faltering, with reports suggesting the Spanish winger is prepared to accept a wage reduction to secure a move to Barcelona. The Gunners have been linked with the 22-year-old for some time.
Williams chose to remain at Athletic Bilbao for another season following his impressive display at Euro 2024, where he scored in the final against England. His contributions helped Bilbao secure a spot in next season's Champions League, sparking renewed speculation about who might trigger his €62million (£53m) release clause.
Bolstering Mikel Arteta's attacking options is evidently high on Arsenal's agenda. Their struggles in front of goal, exacerbated by a spate of injuries, undermined their title challenge against champions Liverpool.
However, it seems they may need to erase Williams from their list of potential recruits. SPORT reports that he prefers a move to Barcelona, Bilbao's La Liga rivals, even if it means earning less.
This follows claims from Portuguese publication Record that Arsenal have paused their chase for Viktor Gyokeres, who reportedly favoured them over Manchester United. The sticking point appears to be Gyokeres' price tag, with Sporting CP apparently holding out for his £85m release clause.
A £60m bid was supposedly rejected, leaving Gunners chiefs to reconsider their transfer strategy, having been slower off the mark than their Premier League rivals.
Nico Williams
Nico Williams appears to have his heart set on joining Barcelona (Image: Getty Images)
The window has just reopened following a brief hiatus for the start of the Club World Cup, and while Man City, Chelsea, United, Tottenham and Liverpool have all secured deals this summer, Arsenal are yet to make a move.
Martin Zubimendi of Real Sociedad is widely tipped to be Arsenal's first signing, with a fee of around £55m expected. He'll fill the position in the squad vacated by Jorginho, who departed on a free transfer to Flamengo.
The focus is then set to shift to attacking options and, it now seems, finding alternatives to Williams and Gyokeres. The likes of Ollie Watkins and Benjamin Sesko have been strongly linked.
Viktor Gyokeres of Sporting CP looks dejected
Viktor Gyokeres' exit from Sporting is going to be far from simple (Image: Getty Images)
An attempt to sign Watkins in the January transfer window fell through, and Aston Villa instead sold Jhon Duran to Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr. With his contract at Villa Park running until 2028, securing his signature could prove challenging.
Sesko, meanwhile, could command a similar fee to Gyokeres. Some reports suggest RB Leipzig value him at a hefty £92.5m, although at 22, he offers five years more youth.
Regarding wide targets, free agent Leroy Sane is no longer an option after choosing to sign for Galatasaray. AC Milan's Rafael Leao and Borussia Dortmund's Jamie Gittens have been briefly mentioned as potentials, but it appears there's still a great deal of work to be done.
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Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus with the Arsenal Therapy Dog Win during the Arsenal Men's team group shoot at London Colney on September 18, 2023
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