Arsenal accelerate shock £77m signing of Spanish World Cup winner | OneFootball

Arsenal director, Andrea Berta, has got to work on signing a £77m-rated Spanish World Cup winner after an almighty transfer blow.

Arsenal are determined to add a superstar-calibre left winger this summer, and firmly believed they’d be the ones to snap up Morgan Rogers.

Significant progress was made in negotiations with the player, though ultimately, their reluctance to meet Aston Villa’s sky high valuation left the door ajar for Chelsea.

The Blues showed no hesitation in agreeing to pay £117m without the aid of add-ons. The move will make Rogers the most expensive British player ever, and on Monday evening, he passed his Chelsea medical.

That’s put PSG’s Bradley Barcola into view, but competition for the Frenchman is fierce by way of Liverpool.

And according to our colleagues over on TEAMtalk, Arsenal are ready to look beyond Barcola after reviving efforts to sign Nico Williams.

The 24-year-old plays for Athletic Bilbao and Spain, and on Sunday, he provided the all-important assist for Ferran Torres’ winning goal in the World Cup final.

Williams has long been on Arsenal’s radar, and in the aftermath of Euro 2024 two summers ago, looked destined to join Barcelona.

Williams would stay loyal to Athletic, but the time may finally have come for a new challenge.

Andrea Berta working on Nico Williams transfer

TEAMtalk’s insider, Graeme Bailey, explained: ‘Sporting director Andrea Berta has held discussions around the Spain international as Arsenal assess whether a move can be made for one of Europe’s most exciting wide forwards.’

A release clause is present in Williams’ contract, which was signed in July of 2025. Per the report, the clause is understood to be worth roughly €90m / £77m.

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Bailey stressed that figure is ‘well within the reach of Arsenal’, and Berta is now of the view Williams could be the one to serve as a major upgrade on the left side of Mikel Arteta’s attack.

The Gunners are signing Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge, though he will serve as the successor to Leandro Trossard who is joining Besiktas. Arsenal want another, higher profile left winger to arrive and become the starter.

Perhaps crucially, the report concluded by noting Williams would be open to a new chapter in the Premier League. It is not a case of the wide man wanting to stay in Spain if he does leave Athletic.