Liverpool have entered the race to sign top Arsenal target Nico Williams from Athletic Bilbao in the summer, according to reports.
The Gunners were forced to look at new attacking options in the January transfer market after injuries to Gabriel Jesus – who has been ruled out for the season – and Bukayo Saka.
Arsenal are currently second in the Premier League but six points behind leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand on the north Londoners.
And the Gunners were keen to do business if possible in order to give them the best possible chance of hunting down Liverpool and competing in other competitions too – but they couldn’t get a deal for Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins or any other forwards over the line.
The Athletic‘s David Ornstein revealed during the winter transfer window that Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta ‘would like to sign’ Athletic Bilbao’s Williams.
Ornstein wrote in early January:
‘Nico Williams has a host of suitors; Arsenal and Chelsea are high among them, while Liverpool looked into the viability of a deal last summer. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta would like to sign Williams in this window but the finances involved make it highly unlikely and Williams is not agitating to leave Athletic Bilbao.
‘His release clause stands at just shy of €60million — it fluctuates with inflation — and would need to be paid in full. When the size of his salary is factored in, it becomes even more difficult. A summer transfer is more plausible.’
That saw reports at the end of the January transfer window describe Williams as a ‘priority signing’ with the Spain international ‘ready to accept the Gunners contract’ offer.
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And now Spanish website Todofichajes claims that Liverpool ‘are coming for Nico Williams’ after the Athletic Bilbao star ‘missed the boat’ to sign for Barcelona last summer.
The signing of Raphinha has ‘drastically reduced’ Williams’ chances of landing at the Camp Nou, which is good news for Premier League clubs.
It is claimed that Liverpool will use money from the sale of Luis Diaz in the summer to compete for the signing of Williams with Premier League rivals Arsenal.
The report adds:
‘The Premier League knocked hard on his door a few months ago. It was Aston Villa, who received the rejection from the Spanish international, but it seems that heading to England could be the option that is gaining more strength for the winger.
‘We know that Liverpool are looking for the best players in Europe to strengthen their attack, and next summer they will completely renew their attacking line.
‘With the sale of Luis Díaz, who could possibly land at Barcelona, the Reds’ idea would be to replace the Colombian with the signing of the youngest of the Williams brothers.
‘Liverpool know that they will earn more than €50m (£42m) for the transfer of the Colombian, which they will invest in the Spanish player, for whom they would even pay the clause, which is 58 million.
‘Real Madrid are reportedly keeping an eye on his signing in case Rodrygo or Vinicius finally say goodbye, but as of today they are not entering the bidding, leaving the Anfield team pretty much alone in this operation.’
