Everton are set to battle it out with cross town rivals Liverpool for the signature of the young Athletic Bilbao striker who has a release clause of €50 million.
Despite having no goals in nine appearances in all competitions this season, Inaki Williams has been the subject of interest of a number of top clubs. His impressive performances last season saw him linked with a move to Liverpool in the summer, as the Reds were looking for a quality forward to add to their ranks with Benteke set to leave for Crystal Palace.
Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid were also expected to bid for him, while Liverpool’s Premier League rivals Arsenal and Tottenham had sent scouts to watch him. Now Don Balon report that Liverpool will have to face competition from Ronald Koeman’s Everton for the signature of the 22-year-old.
Williams is seen as the perfect partner to complement Romelu Lukaku. Koeman is known to prefer a two-striker formation, as seen during his time at Southampton. The report states that Athletic Bilbao had anticipated that offers would eventually come for Williams and while they have set a buy-out clause worth €50 million already, they may offer him a contract renewal shortly.
Since making his debut for the club in 2014, the striker has impressed with his energetic performances and clinical finishing and has played a crucial role in helping the Athletic reserves secure promotion to the Segunda Division.
Later that season, an injury to Aritz Aduriz allowed him to make his first team debut in La Liga in December 2014. The following year, he scored his first top flight goal, and he hasn’t looked back since. In the 2015-16 season, he scored 13 goals in 37 appearances in all competitions.
After being scouted by some of Europe’s top clubs, Athletic managed to extend Williams’ contract up until 2021, adding a €50 million release clause in the process. His performances earned him a spot in Spain’s senior national side under Vicente Del Bosque and he made his debut for La Roja in May. It will be interesting to see how the young forward progresses this season, particularly in light of Liverpool’s interest.
