Nico Williams is open to a move to the Premier League, although there’s a good chance he stays at Athletic Club if they qualify for next season’s Champions League, Arsenal Insider understands.
Williams is enjoying a relatively productive campaign for the Basque side, netting eleven goals and providing seven assists in 44 appearances across all competitions.
This form, alongside his form for Spain at Euro 2024, has sparked interest from several clubs, including the Gunners, Chelsea and Barcelona.
Arsenal Insider revealed last month that the issue with Williams isn’t his salary demands, but rather his potential reluctance to complete a switch from Spain to N5.
Nico Williams could stay at Athletic Club
One of Leandro Trossard or Gabriel Martinelli is likely to leave Arsenal this summer, meaning the Gunners will be on the market for a new left-winger.
Williams has been identified as Mikel Arteta’s primary target, although a deal for the Spaniard may prove too difficult to pull off.
Not only is he keen on the idea of Barcelona, but Arsenal Insider now understands that there’s a very good chance he remains in Bilbao if Ernesto Valverde’s side qualify for Europe’s elite competition.
Transfer expert Graeme Bailey told Arsenal Insider that Williams is open to staying at San Mames.
“He’s seen as a generational player, he’s a player Arsenal really like, we know that, but they’re obviously not alone in that,” he said.
“All of his English suitors are waiting for his situation at Bilbao. There’s a really good chance they finish top four now, and if Bilbao do finish top four, there is a conceivable possibility he stays at San Mames next season.
“We know Williams wants to go to Barcelona, but that’s not always possible to get what you want. I wouldn’t rule them out necessarily, but I think with him, it’s whether he wants to move to England? That’s the really big question.
“People in his camp are insisting if he does leave Bilbao, coming to England is something he takes very seriously and would be interested in. I think if Bilbao get into the Champions League, there’s a fair chance he might stay.”
Athletic Club currently sit fourth in La Liga, six points ahead of sixth-placed Real Betis with three games remaining.
They need just four points from their remaining three matches to guarantee a place in the Champions League for next season, and thus, it’s looking like a potentially tough task for Arsenal to convince Williams to depart his boyhood club.
Nico Williams’ Statistics 2024/25
Prying Spaniards away from their home club is often a difficult task, particularly players from the Basque region.
However, Arsenal are expected to sign Martin Zubimendi, a native of San Sebastian, so it can be done.
That said, there are question marks about Williams and whether he can hit the ground running immediately in the Premier League.
| Williams’ La Liga Statistics 2024/25 | |
| Appearances | 28 |
| Goals | 5 |
| Assists | 5 |
| Shots per 90 | 2.44 |
| Expected Goals per 90 | 0.18 |
| Key Passes per 90 | 1.83 |
| Expected Assists per 90 | 0.19 |
| Successful Take-ons per 90 | 2.96 |
Arsenal need an explosive winger who can beat opponents on the dribble, and the 22-year-old certainly does this at a prolific rate.
However, he’s not yet capable of turning this dribbling into production in the final third, and Arteta would have to be wary that the player would need significant nurturing before he hits his best level.
At a rumoured £51 million, it’s a substantial outlay for a player who won’t necessarily be better than Martinelli next season.
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