Arteta ‘prefers’ Arsenal deal for Spain star over Vinicius Junior because of one ‘factor’ | OneFootball

Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta would prefer to sign Athletic Bilbao star Nico Williams over Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior this summer, according to reports.

The Gunners were crowned Premier League champions last season as they beat Manchester City to the title under Mikel Arteta.

Their first Premier League title in 22 years and their run to the final of the Champions League, where they lost on penalties to Paris Saint-Germain, has provided Arsenal with a boost in finances heading into this summer.

Arsenal were always an attractive proposition for players but the Gunners can now attract the very best in world football.

There have been rumours that Gabriel Martinelli could leave the Emirates Stadium this summer, despite Leandro Trossard already exiting to Turkish side Besiktas, as the left-hand side of attack has been identified as a weakness.

Arsenal are still searching for a top winger to sign this summer with The Athletic‘s David Ornstein revealing last week that they have Vinicius Junior down as one of their targets.

The La Liga giants ‘have no intention of selling him and are confident he will agree a new contract’ despite Arsenal continuing to ‘closely monitoring his situation’.

The report added: ‘On Monday, Sky Sports News broke the news that further talks over his future between Real and his representatives will take place this week. That is with the intention of making progress on a new long-term contract at the Bernabeu.

‘New manager Jose Mourinho is understood to value Vinicius highly and wants him to remain one of his top Galacticos.’

And now reports in Spain are claiming that Arsenal boss Arteta prefers a move for Spain star Williams over Vinicius Junior this summer.

Explaining things, the report adds: ‘Obviously, he doesn’t dare question the incredible talent Vinicius possesses, and he’s convinced he would fit in perfectly at the Emirates Stadium. However, he also knows that his defensive contribution is far from ideal, a reason why he has received a lot of criticism at Real Madrid. And for the Basque coach, this is just as important a factor as his ability to create danger and score goals, which is why he’s more inclined to opt for Nico Williams.

‘He also believes the Athletic Bilbao star could be a perfect fit for Arsenal, and that if he can overcome his injury problems, he could be the reinforcement they need. Not to mention that he would come at a much more affordable price.’

Another report from the same outlet insisted that Williams ‘wants to leave’ and has ‘asked’ his agent to speak to Arsenal, Chelsea and Barcelona.

After playing in the Spain side which won the World Cup over the summer, Williams’ agent Félix Tainta insisted that his client is calm about his future.

Tainta told Radioestadio Noche: “Right now, stay calm. We need to stay calm; let him enjoy himself and disconnect from soccer. What is meant to happen will happen. Stay calm and relaxed.”