Athletic Club winger Nico Williams has been linked with a move away from the Spanish club, with Chelsea keen on signing him.
Chelsea are keen on signing Nico Williams. But a report by Super Deporte via Sport Witness has claimed that Spaniard wants to continue at Athletic Club despite his links with the Premier League club.
The development will come as a major blow for Chelsea, who were hoping to improve their attacking options by signing the Spanish winger. Williams has done quite well for Athletic Club this season, contributing to 17 goals (six goals and 11 assists) across all competitions.
The Spaniard has all the tools to develop into a world-class winger with the right guidance, and he could have been a solid future investment for Chelsea. Players like Raheem Sterling and Mykhailo Mudryk have been quite underwhelming this season, and Chelsea need more quality in the final third. Williams would have added creativity, goals and explosive pace to their attack.
Chelsea have looked quite blunt in the attack this season, and they will need to improve to get back into the UEFA Champions League. It will be interesting to see if they can bring in a quality goal scoring winger and a striker in the summer. The Blues have done well to improve their defensive unit and midfield in recent windows, but they still need a reliable goalscorer.
They signed Nicolas Jackson in the summer, but the former Villarreal striker has not been able to live up to the expectations. They have spent heavily on new wingers as well, and those arrivals have not had the desired impact either.
Chelsea will struggle to attract top players without European football
It will be interesting to see if Chelsea are prepared to test Athletic Club’s resolve with an offer for Nico Williams regardless of his stance. They could offer the winger a lucrative contract as well.
Chelsea have had a disappointing season by their standards, and they are set to miss out on European qualification for next season. Williams will want to compete at the highest level, and he will not be keen on joining a mid-table Premier League club. Chelsea are going through a period of transition right now, and it will be difficult for them to attract elite young players.
There is no doubt that they have the financial resources to pay the winger’s release clause. But convincing the Spaniard to join will be an uphill challenge for them. Williams can be signed for a few of £43 million, and the 21-year-old certainly has the pedigree to justify the investment.