As Arsenal near the January transfer window, plenty of links keep appearing over several different possible deals that may occur.
Whether it’s a centre-forward on Mikel Arteta’s radar, a new midfielder or even some youngsters for the future, the rumour mill keeps on turning.
One of those stars rumoured with a transfer to Arsenal is Nico Williams, the Athletic Club winger who has continued to impress since making a name for himself at the top level of Spanish football.
The 22-year-old has a £50million release clause, which could be triggered by the Gunners during the upcoming window.
If the Spanish international is to move to Arsenal, then he would do so after putting another impressive performance in for his club.
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Spanish media on Arsenal transfer target Nico Williams
Nico Williams started for Athletic Club in their huge clash with Real Madrid on Wednesday night, with the two teams battling it out on the pitch.
While it was all level at half-time, Alex Berenguer gave his side the lead before Los Blancos had a chance to draw level.
Up stepped Kylian Mbappe to take a penalty after his missed spot-kick against Liverpool the week prior, but the Frenchman missed again.
Jude Bellingham spared his blushes moments later with an equaliser, but it didn’t last long as Gorka Guruzeta smashed home the winner.
While Williams didn’t have a huge say for the goals themselves, his impressive performances still caught the eye of the Spanish media.
Ratings from El Correo said: “Another good performance from the Pamplona native, although without the fangs of Vallecas, where he assisted the first and created the play for the second.
“He drove Lucas Vázquez crazy, outpacing him at all times. For the sixth consecutive match he completed the full ninety minutes. It is great news that he is not suffering any major physical problems.”
It’s plenty of praise for the star, who is showing exactly what he is capable of at the very highest level.
It remains to be seen whether his next destination could be the Premier League with Arsenal, though.
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Should Arsenal sign Nico Williams?
At just 22 years old, Williams would help Arsenal in reducing the age profile at the club once again, adding that spark with plenty of his better years still ahead.
While he has largely played on the left this season, the forward is more than comfortable playing on the right side too, offering a long-term option across the frontline.
His numbers haven’t quite stood out this season, with just the singular goal and a handful of assists to his name.
| Matches | 14 |
| Goals | 1 |
| Assists | 3 |
Some of that output could be skewed by the fact that he barely had a pre-season after featuring in the European Championships.
Add to that an injury issue he suffered twice so far during the campaign and it paints a bit of a stop-start opening half of the campaign.
With more regular minutes, a few assists and a clean injury slate now ahead, it suggests the youngster could still kick on.
Given the inflation in the market, spending £50million on one big prospect like Williams seems like a decent gamble to make.
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