Chelsea have set their sights on Nico Williams, preparing to make him their top transfer target next summer. The London club is ready to launch an opening bid of €80 million for the 24-year-old winger from Athletic Bilbao.
However, landing the European champion won't be straightforward as both Arsenal and Manchester United have entered the race for the talented Spaniard. According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, Williams has a release clause in his current contract with the Basque side worth €90 million, which surpasses Chelsea's initial offer. Yet, both the Gunners and the Red Devils are reportedly willing to meet the full buyout clause.
Last season, the Spanish international netted six goals and provided seven assists in 32 appearances across all competitions, while this campaign has seen him score once in just five La Liga fixtures. Despite a dip in form after celebrating victory at Euro 2024, interest from top clubs in Williams is only intensifying:
Arsenal are on the lookout for reinforcements on the left flank following the summer departures of Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard, eyeing the speedy Spaniard as a potential partner for Greek winger Christos Dzolis.
Chelsea, meanwhile, view the World Cup winner as the ideal left-back for Xabi Alonso's tactical framework, thanks to his blistering pace, work rate, and discipline in defence.
Manchester United are determined to foster competition in every area of the pitch, looking for a quality replacement for Marcus Rashford with reports suggesting a potential switch for Matheus Cunha to the centre-forward role.
The bidding war for Nico Williams is shaping up to be one of the blockbuster storylines of the upcoming European transfer window.
