Arsenal primed to battle Barcelona for £87m LaLiga livewire as Arteta identifies new transfer priority | OneFootball

Arsenal have been told by intermediaries that Nico Williams is ready to consider a summer exit from Athletic Bilbao, TEAMtalk understands, and the Gunners are among a handful of elite clubs now being quietly briefed on his availability.

The 23‑year‑old’s decision to sign a shock 10‑year deal at the San Mames did not end the transfer talk – far from it – because that contract carried a release clause understood to be in the region of €100million (£87m / $119m).

Those close to Williams insist he flirted with the idea of leaving Bilbao before committing to the long‑term deal, and while he is not publicly agitating for a move, his camp have made it clear they will listen to the right project this summer.

Crucially, people inside Williams’ circle believe Athletic’s poor campaign this season is set to play a major part in his thinking. Athletic sit ninth in LaLiga, and the frustration of underperformance at club level, the sense that Bilbao are not matching the ambitions he now harbours, and the desire to test himself at the very highest level are all being cited as factors nudging him towards a move.

Barcelona and Arsenal have long been the two clubs that most appeal to him; Barca’s historic pull remains strong, but their financial constraints are well-documented.

Arsenal’s recruitment team have been working on left‑sided options at Mikel Arteta’s behest, and despite the excellent contributions of Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli this season, sporting chief Andrea Berta is understood to be actively exploring upgrades and depth on that flank.

Williams fits the profile Arteta values – explosive pace, directness and the ability to press from the front – and those inside the club have been told he is someone they should keep on their radar, sources say.

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Arsenal to face serious competition for Nico Williams

This is not a situation confined to North London. Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United have all been informed by intermediaries that Williams could be available, while Paris Saint‑Germain and Bayern Munich have also been briefed as part of a deliberate market‑testing exercise.

The €100m clause is a headline number and a clear deterrent, but people who deal in transfers stress that clauses are often the start of a negotiation rather than an immovable wall. Clubs will weigh the cost against Williams’ age, upside and the premium placed on dynamic wide attackers in today’s market.

What happens next is likely to be a slow burn. Intermediaries will continue to sound out suitors over the coming weeks, looking for a club willing to match Athletic’s valuation or to open talks that could lead to a compromise, if one of Europe’s heavyweights decides to accelerate.

For now, Arsenal are very much in the conversation and have been explicitly named as a club to watch.

Whether they choose to test Athletic’s resolve or wait for a more favourable negotiation remains to be seen.

Williams, a product of Athletic’s academy, has made 195 appearances for the LaLiga club, notching 35 goals and 36 assists so far. He is also a regular for Spain’s national team, with 30 caps so far.

Meanwhile, sources have confirmed that RB Leipzig’s 19-year-old sensation Yan Diomande is another player on Arsenal’s shortlist ahead of the summer.

Leipzig will demand a minimum of €100m for the talented winger, and Liverpool are considered to have the ‘most advanced’ interest of any Premier League side at this stage.

In other news, Gunners captain Martin Odegaard is being linked with a shock Emirates exit, with the player ‘in talks’ over a potential departure, per reports.

Interestingly, Arsenal are said to have already selected a new skipper to replace him.