Arsenal are in the market for a winger this summer, and Nico Williams has been the name most prominently linked with the Gunners.
Williams enjoyed a relatively fruitful season for Athletic Bilbao following his Euro 2024 exploits, netting eleven goals and providing seven assists across all competitions.
This form has inevitably sparked interest from a host of clubs throughout Europe, with Arsenal and Chelsea understood to be among those monitoring the Spaniard’s situation.
Mikel Arteta is said to be a huge admirer of Williams, and the Gunners have expressed their interest to the player’s camp previously.
Nico Williams in contract talks with Athletic Bilbao
It’s well documented that Williams has a £50 million release clause in his current contract.
Arsenal view a deal for the explosive wide man at this price tag as great value, and have been weighing up making a move for him for since last summer.
Unsurprisingly, Athletic Club want to keep hold of their talisman and have subsequently opened contract talks with Williams.
According to journalist Ben Jacobs, the Basque outfit are negotiating fresh terms with the 22-year-old, with a purported €10 million salary on the cards.
The new deal is also expected to include an increased release clause, as the La Liga club desperately look to tie down their best player before Arsenal or Chelsea can activate his current release clause.
Both London clubs are sceptical about enacting a deal now due to the hefty potential wages and agent fees that would be involved.
Nico Williams isn’t worth the money it’ll take to sign him for Arsenal
An extremely talented individual, Williams is an exceptional dribbler and capable of causing problems for any opposition backline in world football.
That said, Williams has plenty to improve in his game, and he’s yet to be able to convert his ball-carrying skills into generating elite output in the final third.
Assuming the new release clause is significantly higher than the current one, the amount of money it would take to pry the youngster away from Bilbao simply isn’t worth it.
At some level, he’s a huge risk, and signing him would be betting on his potential, rather than what he’s capable of producing right now.
At somewhere between £80-£100 million, there are many better options on the market that Arsenal should explore.
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