Arsenal transfer target Nico Williams played 64 minutes as Spain beat France 5-4 in the Nations League on Thursday night.
The winger scored the opening goal in the nine-goal thriller in Stuttgart, smashing into the roof of the net from close range after Mikel Oyarzabal laid the ball off to him inside the box in the 23rd minute.
Mikel Merino added a second goal for the Euro 2024 winners, with the Arsenal midfielder and imminent new Gunners signing Martin Zubimendi both producing excellent performances as Spain established a 5-1 lead with 23 minutes to play.
France fought back with three late goals, but it wasn’t enough, with La Roja now set to play Portugal in the UEFA Nations League final on Sunday.
Arsenal’s interest in Williams is well-documented, and the North London club’s hierarchy certainly would’ve been impressed by what they saw from the Athletic Club man for his nation on Thursday.
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Spain’s media praise Arsenal transfer target Nico Williams
Athletic Club have entered contract talks with Williams, as the Basque outfit look to fend off interest from Arsenal and tie down their talisman.
That won’t prevent Mikel Arteta from pursuing the player, who he is known to be extremely fond of.
The Arsenal boss isn’t the only man fond of what Williams is producing at the moment, with Spanish media providing glowing reviews of his display in Stuttgart against France.
AS wrote about the 22-year-old in their assessment of each player after the game: “He seems eager to show off to the world. Watching him run down the wing is a spectacle due to his directness and top-end speed.
“And he’s also capable of finishing plays. He shoots, he hits, and he scores. He’s a better player every day, and with Lamine [Yamal], they form the two best wings in Europe.
“He gave up a penalty to Lamine, a gesture that was applauded by the eight thousand Spaniards who attended the match in Stuttgart.”
Meanwhile, Mundo Deportivo waxed lyrical about Williams in their match report, writing: “Nico Williams, relentless on the left, added further danger.”
Nico Williams’ statistics vs France
Arteta is eager to add more dynamic threat to his attack this summer, and on the basis of Williams’ showing against Les Blues, it’s not hard to see why he believes the youngster could be the man to provide this.
In just 64 minutes, Williams took five shots, accumulated 0.51 expected goals and created one big chance, despite only completing ten passes.
A constant threat, the wide forward was looking to break into the box as frequently as possible and get shots off, something Arsenal lack at times.
| Nico Williams’ Statistics vs France | |
| Minutes Played | 64 |
| Goals | 1 |
| Assists | 1 |
| Expected Goals | 0.51 |
| Shots | 5 |
| Accurate Passes | 10/13 (77%) |
| Big Chances Created | 1 |
| Recoveries | 6 |
| Dribbled Past | 1 |
However, it wasn’t just his on-the-ball performance that would have endeared him to Arteta.
Out of possession, Williams made six recoveries and was dribbled past just once on the night.
An exceptional outing from the Arsenal target, and one that could prompt Arteta and Andrea Berta to accelerate their pursuit of the player.
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