Arsenal have set sights on Nico Williams as Mikel Arteta seeks a rotational option for Bukayo Saka on the right wing.
According to Fichajes, Nico Williams has emerged as a viable target for Arsenal in the summer. Mikel Arteta wants the 20-year-old as a rotational option for Bukayo Saka on the right wing and add depth to a position lacking quality alternatives.
Arsenal are in flying form and could win their first Premier League title in 18 years. Mikel Arteta has transformed the team into challengers as his young squad are showing the resilience of champions. Much of the credit goes to the manager and technical director, Edu Gaspar, for their work in the transfer windows, but there’s still much to achieve.
Arteta got some much-needed reinforcements in the January window as Arsenal added Leandro Trossard, Jorginho and Jakub Kiwior to bring depth to the squad. Meanwhile, there are a few other areas in which the manager wants to add quality, with the right-wing position firmly on his mind.
Bukayo Saka is set to sign a new long-term contract with the club, allowing Arsenal to build their system around the winger. Arteta’s problem is finding a reliable competition for the England international. They have been linked with a few names, but the Gunners have barely succeeded in those pursuits.
Any player would want guarantees of playing time in the side. And young stars, in particular, would not want to sit on the bench for too long. At Arsenal, Saka has locked in that right-hand spot, and it is difficult to imagine the club could sign someone to take his position.
Yet, they lack depth, which does not allow Arteta to rotate Saka too much in games. The forward has started all Premier League games for the club this season. Athletic Club’s 20-year-old winger Nico Williams has now emerged as a target for the Gunners.
A host of top clubs, including Liverpool, are keeping tabs on Williams’s situation at Athletic Club. The Reds, in particular, were keen to sign him when Jurgen Klopp sought attacking reinforcements. Yet, the lure of a club like Arsenal may turn the winger’s head in the next window.
He also had a few offers in January and reportedly rejected a move to Aston Villa. As for Arsenal, they will look to take advantage of Williams’ situation, whose contract expires in 2024. While there have not been any concrete efforts to extend his deal, a move away from the club could become a possibility.
Arsenal will benefit from a player of Williams’s talents. The winger is hungry for success, and his presence in the Spanish national side proves he is highly rated for the future. Whether Arteta sees the same remains the question, but the 20-year-old would undoubtedly improve the Gunners.
