Report: Nico Williams 'more open' to Premier League transfer
- Nico Williams was targeted by Barcelona throughout last summer
- The Athletic Club forward is warming to a Premier League move
- Four different clubs from England's top flight have been named as interested parties
Athletic Club's in-demand winger Nico Williams is reportedly warming to the idea of a Premier League transfer either in January or this summer.
The fleet-footed forward was propelled on to the world stage with a series of decisive performances as Spain won Euro 2024. Williams scored against England in a triumphant final and was targeted by a glut of European clubs throughout the summer. Barcelona came closest before eventually pivoting towards Dani Olmo.
Williams initially struggled to rediscover his best form at Athletic after a difficult off-season of speculation, but he has begun to improve and may even sign a new deal with his boyhood club.
However, The Athletic have revealed that the 22-year-old is "more open" to a Premier League transfer than ever before. Even though he has a contract until 2027, a relatively low £46m release clause ensures that a deal could be made any year.
The report claims that Williams is more likely to move in summer rather than January, but it is "probable" that he leaves Athletic at some point in 2025.
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur are the Premier League clubs thought to have an interest in the Spanish forward. Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich are also reportedly sniffing around Williams.
Manchester City were not named in The Athletic's report, but the team's talismanic midfielder Rodri is a big fan of Williams. The Ballon d'Or winner recently named his compatriot as a player he would like to take to Manchester.
Despite his reasonable transfer fee, Barcelona were put off by Williams' lofty salary. As Athletic operate under a Basque-only player policy, the top-flight club save on transfer fees and use those funds to provide their star players with lucrative wages.
The prodigious forward is thought to earn around €10m per year - the equivalent of roughly £160,000 per week. Only one player from outside La Liga's big three earns more than Williams - and that's his older brother Inaki, who also plays for Athletic.
While that salary is a dealbreaker for Spain's top clubs, elite Premier League teams have numerous players on equivalent and much larger wages. Based upon his current earnings, Williams would be the ninth highest-paid player at Arsenal, for example.
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