Athletic Club winger Nico Williams has been linked with Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool in recent weeks and months, but the Spanish star is rumoured to be considering Barcelona as his first choice for a summer transfer.
Williams has begun to emerge from the shadow of his older brother Iñaki over the past few seasons and now, at the age of 21, is shining at Euro 2024 for Spain alongside 16-year-old Barca prodigy Lamine Yamal.
His performances in the tournament, following his consistent campaigns in La Liga, have made him a priority target for clubs looking to develop their next big prospect.
Although Chelsea in particular are considered as a rival, SPORT writes that Williams’ “priority” is Barça. And, having apparently established contact through an intermediary, the Premier League team have already been informed of this.
Chelsea have greater financial strength on their side, with the report adding that there is a willingness to offer an annual salary of between €15m and €20m, more than double the €7.8m he currently receives in Bilbao. From west London, there would also be fewer problems in meeting a €60m release clause that would have to be paid up front.
Arsenal and Liverpool are also in a stronger position than Barca, who are still applying La Liga’s 1:4 spending rules despite recent optimism about getting their house in order sooner rather than later.
Barca’s chances of securing a deal will likely depend on securing money through other means first, with the hope that Williams is patient enough to wait and considers the possibility of joining Yamal at club level. The young prodigy has already publicly expressed his desire to join his Spanish colleague at Camp Nou.
Sports world has a more optimistic view, acknowledging that signing Williams is not necessarily easy, but stating that it could be done by cashing in on Raphinha.
Chelsea and Aston Villa were previously reported to have pulled out of the race for Williams, while Athletic’s chairman expressed optimism about keeping the Spanish star at the club beyond the summer transfer window.
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