Arsenal, Liverpool, and Newcastle United are surprised by the lofty wage demands of Nico Williams amid his links with Barcelona.
According to a report from HITC, Nico Williams is on the radar Arsenal, Liverpool, and Newcastle United. All three clubs are keen on adding him to their ranks, but they are shocked by the Athletic Club stars demands and feel he wants a move to Barcelona.
Williams has come up the ranks Athletic Club. He was promoted to their first team in the summer of 2021 and has not looked back since. He is already a mainstay at the Spanish club and has played a big part in their Copa del Rey success this season.
The 21-year-old has been in sensational form throughout the campiagn. He has featured in 35 matches and has contributed towards 23 goals. Williams has bagged a total of 16 assists along with the seven goals. He has been a standout performer and it has resulted in a lot of interest from across Europe.
Arsenal, Newcastle United, and Liverpool keen on Williams
The Spanish international penned down a new deal at Athletic Club in December which runs until 2027. But, it has a release clause worth just £40 million which was a major boost for the likes of Arsenal, Newcastle United and Liverpool.
All three English clubs have been monitoring him closely in the ongoing season, and they feel he could be a sensational signing for them. Mikel Arteta wants more firepower in attack, and he feels Williams could be a great addition his ranks. His ability to feature on both flanks could be a major boost for him team.
Newcastle United are looking to reinforce their attack after a disappointing campaign, and they feel Williams could be a great acquisition for the short as well as long term. As far as Liverpool are concerned, the Spanish international is an important target for them to bolster their attack and also prepare for life without Mohamed Salah whose future is uncertain.
Williams’s demands & Barcelona’s interest
Arsenal, Liverpool, and Newcastle United were in talks with his representatives to find out the financial side of things, and they have been left shocked by the player’s wage demands. The 21-year-old currently earns close £200,000 per week and he is looking for a deal worth £250,000 per week along with appearance which will see it go beyond £300,000-a-week package. This kind of deal will easily make him the highest played player at all three clubs.
The clubs have not only been shocked, but they even believe that Williams might be position himself for a move to Barcelona. Reports have suggested that the Athletic Club star wants to pay for Barcelona, and the Spanish giants are also keen on having him in their ranks. They are ready to offload Raphinha in order to finance the move as people at the club consider him to be an ideal fit for Xavi’s team.
