Nico Williams Athletic Bilbao
Marco Almbauer, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Arsenal have long been linked with Nico Williams but according to TBR Football, London rivals Chelsea have opened talks with the winger’s entourage over a possible summer move to Stamford Bridge.
The Gunners are very keen to sign the Spanish winger but they are already battling Liverpool for his signature. Now, things are about to get even more complex with a cash-rich side like Chelsea coming into the picture.
The Blues are not planning to keep Jadon Sancho permanently and even Mudryk’s time at the club appears to be coming to an end. In such a scenario, Chelsea are actively on the lookout for a left-winger and according to the report, they are even willing to sell Noni Madueke to make a deal happen.
Is Nico Williams really worth the hype?
Nico Williams won the EURO with Spain last year and that was the first time the non-LaLiga fans saw his raw skills in action. He’s come up through the ranks at Bilbao and since 2021, he’s been a consistent performer for the Spanish side.
Last season, he made 16 assists and he’s already backed that performance this campaign with 16 goal contributions in 37 appearances.
Williams has a €58 million release clause and for someone who has an xG of 3.45 and xA of 3.57, this is a bargain deal for all the clubs involved. He’s created 37 chances in the league this season and whichever side lands him will be getting a world-class left-winger for the next six to seven seasons.
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Will the winger prefer to remain in Spain instead of joining Chelsea or Arsenal?
Arsenal will be a bit unsettled with Chelsea’s movement but most experts and journalists(at least in his home country) are confident that Nico Williams wants to join Barcelona.
The 22-year-old is keen to work with his national teammates like Yamal and Pedri and will be eagerly waiting for Barca to trigger the €58m release clause. However, Nico Williams has made it clear that he will not wait long and if the Blaugrana do not come up with something concrete at the very start of the summer transfer window, he won’t hesitate to explore his other options.
Right now, Chelsea and Arsenal are very much behind Barcelona in the pecking order and the two London sides will only have a chance to compete if the Spanish giants fall out of this transfer race due to the lack of funds.