OFFICIAL ‼️ SUMMER TRANSFER BATTLE: NICO WILLIAMS IN HIGH DEMAND AFTER EURO 2024 TRIUMPH ✅
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- Опубліковано 26 сер 2024
- Nico Williams has had an exceptional Euro 2024, highlighted by scoring a goal in the final, making him a hot topic for the summer transfer window. The Athletic Bilbao winger shined on the left side of Luis de la Fuente's attacking trio in Germany, helping La Roja secure a 2-1 victory over England in Berlin. Williams opened the scoring early in the second half with a confident left-footed finish, assisted by 17-year-old prodigy Lamine Yamal.
Now that the tournament is over, many clubs are expected to pursue Williams. Here, talkSPORT.com examines the main contenders for his signature.
Barcelona
Barcelona is the frontrunner to sign Williams this summer. The LaLiga giants have made the 21-year-old a priority target, aiming to recreate his successful partnership with Lamine Yamal at the club level. For Spain, Williams and Yamal have formed a strong bond and complement each other well.
LaLiga president Javier Tebas has confirmed that Williams has a release clause in his contract, making him available to Barcelona, especially as they near a resolution of their financial issues. Tebas stated, “With Barcelona's effort to reduce their wage bill by over 200 million euros and other measures within the club, they can definitely bring in a player like Nico Williams. Barca’s financial position is improving, allowing them to meet the requirements for such a transfer.” Thus, if Barcelona continues to trim their wage bill, they'll be in a position to sign Williams.
Arsenal
Arsenal is also interested in Williams after his impressive season with Bilbao, where he directly contributed to 19 league goals. Mikel Arteta admires the winger, especially given Gabriel Martinelli’s inconsistent form last season, which has opened up the possibility of bringing in a new left winger.
However, Arsenal faces challenges with Williams' wages. Bilbao’s policy of recruiting only Basque players allows them to allocate more funds to wages, resulting in Williams earning around £180,000 per week. This high salary could be a stumbling block for Arsenal, especially since Williams would compete with Martinelli and Leandro Trossard for playing time.
Chelsea
Chelsea is another club keen on Williams. The Blues already have a variety of attacking options, but if they decide to offload a player, they could make room for this exciting winger. However, convincing Williams to join might be tough, as Chelsea can only offer Europa Conference League football, while Barcelona and Arsenal can offer Champions League football. Currently, Chelsea's interest hasn't developed into a formal offer, and they are likely to wait and see how Barcelona's pursuit of Williams unfolds before making a move.
Liverpool
Liverpool is also interested in Williams but faces two significant hurdles. First, his wages would make him one of the highest-paid players at the club, which could be problematic. Second, Liverpool already has several players who can operate on the left, including Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo, and Diogo Jota. Unless one of these players leaves, it’s difficult to see how Liverpool could accommodate Williams, despite his appealing £47 million release clause.
In summary, Nico Williams' future is set to be a major storyline this summer, with several top clubs vying for his signature. The competition to sign him will be fierce, and it remains to be seen where the talented winger will end up.