Juventus are set to go head-to-head with Liverpool for the signature of Athletic Bilbao striker Inaki Williams in the summer
Italian publication Tuttosport have reported that Juventus have entered the race to sign Inaki Williams and the Italian champions are all set to go head to head with Liverpool to sign the Ahtletic Bilbao striker in the summer transfer window.
Inaki Williams has made a big impression at Athletic Bilbao since progressing through the ranks at San Mames. Still only 22, the striker is earning many admirers with his performances in attack for the Basque club.
While Williams may not exactly be prolific yet, with the Spain international bagging just 4 goals and 7 assists in 31 games in all competitions, his inherent characteristics have made him such a dangerous proponent for opposition defences that come up against Bilbao.
Williams is very direct in his game and has the pace and trickery to help his side launch swift counter attacks. At the same time, he is equally adept at playing on the right wing as much as being the focal point of attack, making him a huge asset for Bilbao manager Ernesto Valverde.
So, Williams has shown that he has the potential to be a star in European football, and his exploits for Bilbao have seen him being linked with Liverpool, with Jurgen Klopp eager to make additions in attack in the summer.
Depth is a serious issue that Klopp has been battling with, and Williams’ abilities and exciting potential does make him a target worth considering for the Liverpool boss, who has also scouted the likes of Malcom and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in recent weeks.
However, the Reds may face competition in the form of Juventus if they want to secure the services of Williams in the summer. The 22-year-old’s traits do make him a perfect fit in Massimiliano Allegri’s style, with the Italian tactician relying on fast counter-attacks to leave a mark on games.
On top of that, Williams’ profile also fits the kind of players the Juvenuts chief executive, Giuseppe Marotta, is targetting as part of the Bianconeri’s new technical project, with the club looking to add fresh, young talents with bags of potential to their first team squad.
Williams still has more than four years left to run on his contract, and his deal comes with a release clause of €50 million, but neither Liverpool nor Juventus will have any problem playing that amount.
It will thus be interesting to see now if any of these clubs make a concrete offer to sign Williams, with the player himself indicating that he may be open to a move at the end of the season.
