Nico Williams is more open to a Premier League move now, with Arsenal among those interested in the signing ahead of the 2025 transfer windows.
Athletic Club winger Nico Williams was heavily linked with a summer exit from the Spanish club earlier this year, but his clear priority was a move to Barcelona.
David Ornstein reports for The Athletic that there was “major interest” in Williams from the Premier League, but the winger ultimately decided to stay where he was when the Barcelona transfer didn’t materialise.
Barcelona are reportedly no longer in for him, and as a result he’s more open to a Premier League switch.
The report adds that Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Tottenham Hotspur are among the teams with a long-standing admiration for the player.
Williams still has a release clause of around €55m (£45.5m), so he’s available if a club is willing to pay the money, though Ornstein adds that he would prefer not to move in the winter market.
An Arsenal move seems relatively unlikely in January, as the Gunners would probably need to move someone on first, and Mikel Arteta has Raheem Sterling on loan for the current campaign.
But if and when Sterling goes back to Chelsea next summer, a spot for a longer-term signing will open up. Perhaps that’s when the club might make a move.
Williams has two goals and five assists in 18 appearances for Athletic Club this season, after winning Euro 2024 with Spain over the summer.