Nico Williams should be signed by Arsenal at all costs. The 21-year-old winger’s impressive performances for Spain at Euro 2024 have led to strong speculation that he will move to the Emirates Stadium.
Williams scored two goals and provided one assist while playing all but one of La Roja’s games in Germany. The Athletic Bilbao star, who was instrumental in leading Luis de la Fuente’s team to European success, was named in UEFA’s tournament team along with William Saliba.
According to football.london, Williams, whose contract includes a €58 million (£49 million) release clause, has been under observation by Arsenal. His boyhood club is still optimistic that the forward will stay at San Mamés Stadium despite the Gunners’ interest.
Jon Uriarte criticized the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) earlier this month for not shielding Williams from a plethora of inquiries about his future. The president of Bilbao asserted in a combative statement that the team possesses the financial, social, and sporting capacity to retain the young player.
That being said, with Mikel Arteta keen to close the – albeit tiny – gap with Manchester City in the Premier League title race, reporters at football.london have examined whether or not Arsenal should attempt to sign Williams this summer.
Jake Stokes
Nico Williams should be signed by Arsenal by all means necessary. The winger made 31 appearances in La Liga last season, contributing 14 assists and five goals during his outstanding domestic campaign with Athletic Bilbao.
He was a vital member of Ernesto Valverde’s team that helped Los Leones qualify for the Europa League and place fifth in the Spanish top division. Williams also helped Bilbao win the Copa del Rey, snapping a 40-year trophy drought and a run of six straight final losses in the competition.
all prior to showcasing his rich vein of form on a global platform! He has demonstrated beyond a doubt that he is capable of performing at the greatest level, and there is still a ton of untapped potential. Maybe Mikel Arteta, a right-winger, could make room for Williams by trying Gabriel Martinelli out as a striker?
Isaac Johnson
Williams can only really join Arsenal if a deal with Barcelona falls through. According to reports, the player gave the Spanish powerhouses first dibs on a move, and despite their debt, both La Liga president Javier Tebas and club president Joan Laporta have stated that a deal for the 22-year-old is financially feasible.
Real Madrid’s star player, Kylian Mbappe, was unveiled this week, and Barcelona supporters will be expecting the same from their team shortly. Williams meets that criteria, and it seems like a no-brainer to make the move.
However, Arsenal must be first at the table if Barcelona does make a mistake. The Euro 2024 star is attracting a lot of interest, but the Gunners have more to offer than most of the other players in the race. To be clear, his arrival would solve the left wing dilemma but would not satisfy all of the club’s transfer requirements for attacking players.
Kieran King
Nico Williams is the player Arsenal should aim for if they decide to enter the summer transfer window in search of a new winger. After making an impression for Spain at Euro 2024, the 22-year-old is one of the most sought-after attackers in Europe. Chelsea and Barcelona are reportedly interested in signing him, and he may decide to leave Athletic Club.
Williams has a £52 million release clause, so the Gunners should make every effort to bring him to the Emirates. They would have another goal threat and an extra bit of quality out wide in him, as they struggled from that position last season due to Gabriel Martinelli’s lack of form.
Williams can play anywhere along the front line and is primarily a left winger. He has the ability to take the Gunners to the next level and help them win the Premier League. For me, it’s an obvious choice.
Isaac Seelochan
Arsenal would be very fortunate to sign Nico Williams. This summer, finding a new striker should be the top priority, but having Saka and Williams on the wings would greatly enhance the Gunners’ offensive capabilities.
The Bilbao forward, who has a £52 million release clause, would be a great value given some of the other prices being discussed for players in a comparable position. But a deal is probably going to be difficult because Barcelona is probably his top choice.
But, Barca will come under pressure to comply with Williams’ release clause or agree to a lower price, just as Manchester United did when they attempted to beat Real Madrid to the signing of Leny Yoro.
Amie Wilson
Given his performances during Euro 2024, it’s easy to understand why so many teams throughout Europe, including Arsenal, have been linked to Nico Williams this summer.
Now that the release clause appears to be a good deal, Arsenal ought to try to convince Williams that a summer transfer to the Emirates Stadium is what’s best for him. The main obstacle they faced in Barcelona.
Although the Catalan club is always a top choice for players, their financial status may make a transfer challenging. Here’s where Arsenal might make a move.
He would be the ideal right-wing complement to Bukayo Saka if Arsenal were to sign him. Gabriel Martinelli could then play a more fitting central role.
Tom Canton
Of course Arsenal ought to make an attempt to sign Nico Williams. This is undoubtedly a no-brainer for the Gunners given Barcelona’s financial difficulties, the release clause’s reasonableness, and the possibility of acquiring one of the summer’s biggest signings.
Williams has the advantage of being a flexible wide forward, whereas players like Johan Bakayoko, a left-footed right winger, are far more specific in their positioning. In fact, he came up on both flanks to assist Lamine Yamal against Luke Shaw during the Euro 2024 final match against England.
Arsenal needs to find some wide players to supplement Bukayo Saka in particular. Williams has played a lot of right wing for Athletic during his development, despite not being an inverted right winger. But Leandro Trossard’s season-long 30th birthday this season adds another layer of future-proofing the left side of the competition.
It appears like Arsenal may only have this one chance to sign Williams because there will undoubtedly be other suitors. Consequently, if I were Edu, I would exert every effort to persuade him to come.
Joe Doyle
In my opinion, the most important consideration in any high-profile deal—transfer fee or salary—must be whether the player will enhance both the starting lineup and the squad as a whole.
Based on his play from the previous season, I also believe Nico Williams is a likely improvement over Gabriel Martinelli. Therefore, I say “yes.” They’ll have to outbid Barcelona to pull off a move, and there’s the problem of having to pay a one-time release clause. Alternatively, they might be able to work out a slightly higher price with a more advantageous payment schedule, like Manchester United did with Bologna when they signed Joshua Zirkzee.
It would be wise for them to move forward with a deal if they can persuade Williams to reject an offer from Barcelona.
