Arsenal are planning to sign Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams this month after following his long-term development, sources say. CaughtOffside.
The Gunners’ interest is being driven by manager Mikel Arteta, and it is expected that the club will step up efforts to sign Williams soon, although he has been on the radar of other top clubs such as Manchester United and Chelsea.
The 21-year-old could be an option for Liverpool, Tottenham and Barcelona, CaughtOffside understandably so, but for now strong interest appears to be coming from Arsenal as they look to bolster their attack next season.
Williams has a €50 million release clause in his contract with Athletic Bilbao, which will surely make him an attractive option for top clubs this summer after his impressive performances in La Liga and with the Spanish national team.
Williams transfer: Arsenal plan to move E50 million winger
Sources familiar with the situation have informed CaughtOffside Arsenal are hoping to move ahead with the deal this month, so there could be concrete updates soon, while it will also be interesting to see if the likes of Chelsea and Man Utd increase their interest.
All three clubs have missed out on Benjamin Sesko, who has signed a new contract at RB Leipzig, and it is likely that Arsenal will now focus on a different type of attacker to add some spark to their front three.
Williams would be ideal to step in as an upgrade on Gabriel Martinelli after a dip in form last season, while giving Arteta the opportunity to rotate around Bukayo Saka more often.
Chelsea, on the other hand, could do well with Williams as an upgrade for the likes of Raheem Sterling, Mykhailo Mudryk and Noni Madueke, albeit for now. CaughtOffside understands they are focusing on signing Jhon Duran from Aston Villa as another option for a central midfielder.
United, on the other hand, could do with Williams after the lack of impact made by new attacking players such as Jadon Sancho and Antony in recent years, as well as taking the pressure off Marcus Rashford.
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