Manchester United could complicate Arsenal’s pursuit of Athletic Club forward Nico Williams.
Multiple top clubs from across Europe are after the signature of Nico Williams, who is considered to be one of the best young forwards in Spain. Arsenal are believed to be one of the front-runners, but according to a report from Fichajes, Manchester United’s interest in Raphinha could complicate the Gunners’ pursuit of the Athletic Club star.
Williams’ future was amongst the biggest talking points last summer, but in the end, he decided to stay at his childhood club for another year. He is enjoying yet another successful season at Atheltic as he has bagged nine goals and seven assists in his 36 outings.
While he is one of the first names on their team sheet, he is unlikely to be around for another season as some of the biggest clubs are ready to offer him the opportunity to take the next step in his career. Arsenal are very keen on signing the 22-year-old.
The Gunners seek more quality on the left flank, and they consider Williams a great fit for their project as he is ready to feature in their first team and could be around for a long time. He could end up being the missing link in their quest for major titles.
While the North London club are willing to trigger the Spanish international’s release clause worth €58 million and are willing to make him one of the highest-paid players in their squad, Manchester United could cause massive problems for them.
United could disrupt Arsenal’s plans to sign Williams
The Red Devils are also looking to strengthen their flanks as Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Antony could permanently leave the club in the summer. They consider Raphinha an ideal fit for their project and could make a move for the Barcelona winger.
Their pursuit of Raphinha could create a domino effect in the market, which could allow Barcelona to revive their interest in Williams. The Catalan giants wanted to sign him last summer, but financial difficulties became a massive road block.
However, if they manage to offload the Leeds United winger for a significant fee in the summer, they will have the funds to go after the signature of the Athletic Club star, who, in the past, expressed his preference for joining Barcelona. Even though United are not pushing for the 22-year-old, they could still end Arsenal’s hope of signing the Spanish international.