Nico Williams transfer boost as Arsenal stance becomes clear ‘even if’ one thing happens

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Arsenal have been linked to several players in the January transfer window, as Mikel Arteta aims to bolster his attack.

The Gunners have had a season defined by the summer transfer window failures and injury, mixing for a punishing combination.

Arsenal’s 2-0 defeat to Newcastle United only emphasised just how badly Arteta’s squad is lacking going forward, firing 23 shots on goal to no avail.

After the fixture, Arteta praised Alexander Isak’s ‘quality’, hammering home what a clinical forward can do for a team, sending a subtle transfer hint to those above him. 

• READ MORE: Arsenal confirmed signings, transfers in and out and loans in January 2025 window

Nico Williams to Arsenal transfer update

Arsenal have been linked to several players this month, including defender Ronald Araujo, which won’t please supporters.

The Gunners are desperate for a new forward, and considering that Arteta has only signed six attackers during his five-year reign, the Spaniard surely has to focus on that department.

Nico Williams is a long-term target of Arsenal’s, with the Athletic Bilbao sensation protected by a near-£50m release clause in the Basque Country. 

The Euro 2024 winner is a wanted man, and for good reason, however, pulling off his transfer would be difficult this month.

Arsenal are met with two issues when it comes to signing Williams, with the player’s wage demands and the conditions of his release clause being paid outright causing stumbling blocks.

While Williams is understood to be open to a Premier League transfer, such might not help Arteta this month but, that doesn’t mark the end of Arsenal’s race to sign the forward.

That’s according to The Athletic, who report that ‘even if’ Arsenal sign an alternative attacker in the January market, Williams will ‘still be in the mix’ as a dream target in the summer. 

Arsenal might be admirers of Williams, but so are many other teams, making his next steps something to monitor in the build-up to the summer transfer window.

How Nico Williams compares to Bukayo Saka

As Williams let the world know of his potency during Euro 2024, the winger made it abundantly clear why clubs would want him on their side.

A lightning-quick, agile and fearless winger, the Spaniard encapsulates everything a wide player should be, but what would he offer to Arsenal?

As seen above, the forward can create chaos in wide areas but, is still behind the likes of Bukayo Saka when it comes to being the finished article.

Saka himself still has a lot more in his locker but, the Hale End graduate’s exposure to the Premier League from an early age has clearly rocketed his development. 

In Williams, Arteta could poach a relatively raw, explosive budding talent, who has all the ability to go to the top.