Why Chelsea pulled out of move for Athletic Club star Nico Williams | OneFootball

An insight into the reasoning behind the decision of Premier League giants Chelsea not to move ahead with their pursuit of Athletic Club star Nico Williams has on Friday been provided.

The name of wide-man Nico of course took its place front and centre in the headlines across all of Europe this past summer.

As much came after the 22-year-old’s explosion onto the world stage at Euro 2024 piqued the attentions of a whole host of leading clubs.

La Liga heavyweights Barcelona were the most heavily linked with a move for his signature, but Nico, at one point, was also named as a chief target on the part of the aforementioned Chelsea.

The Blues in the end saw their efforts towards a deal come up short, opting to bring in Pedro Neto from Wolverhampton Wanderers instead.

So, what exactly proved decisive in the Stamford Bridge brass turning attentions away from Williams?

As per a report from transfer insider Matteo Moretto, the financial demands of the explosive attacker proved the deciding factor.

Speaking during an appearance on Fabrizio Romano’s Daily Briefing, Spanish football expert Moretto confirmed that, even for big-spending Chelsea, Williams’ wage requests were considered to be unattainable.

Conor Laird | GSFN