Arsenal, Chelsea’s Nico Williams ‘Chances’ Revealed As Spain Star Mulls Future | OneFootball

The Nico Williams transfer saga has hit a major roadblock for Arsenal and Chelsea as the Spain star has apparently made his intentions known.

The two Premier League clubs reportedly vying for his signature had their chances reduced in a big way on Saturday. SPORT state Williams is reluctant to move abroad, with Football Espana further playing down Arsenal and Chelsea's chances despite a willingness to activate his release clause. Without player approval, neither move could come to fruition. Fabrizio Romano further corroborated reports regarding Williams's preference.

If he does stay, the expectation would be that he signs a new deal with Athletic Bilbao that could see his buyout clause rise to fend off further interest. Williams is under contract with the Spanish outfit through 2027 and has been frequently brought up in transfer talks since starring for Spain in the 2024 UEFA Euro tournament.

Arsenal need a striker this summer and have made a formal approach to sign Benjamin Šeško, but adding a wide player also remains a priority for Mikel Arteta. Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard scored a combined 16 goals—eight each—in the Premier League this past season, yet neither player took a hold of the starting role. Their inability to score goals played a big part in 14 league draws and falling far behind Liverpool in the title race.

While upgrading a striker would help solve Arsenal's scoring problems, adding a dynamic forward off the left to further take pressure of Bukayo Saka wouldn't hurt either. It would also allow Arteta to spell Saka at times after the England star missed three months with a hamstring injury.

Chelsea, on the other hand, haven't shied away from exploring multiple options in the transfer market. The Blues already signed former Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap to challenge for the starting role. Acquiring Williams would give Enzo Maresca even more firepower out wide next to Cole Palmer, adding quality and competition to current options Noni Madueke and Pedro Neto, especially after Jadon Sancho's return to Manchester United after his loan spell.

With Williams seemingly making his preference known, both clubs might have to start looking elsewhere for wide attacking options.