Barcelona face Arsenal, Chelsea, and Bayern competition for €62 million-rated target | OneFootball

Nico Williams has taken the first step towards becoming a FC Barcelona player. At the player’s request, his agent, Felix Tainta, met with the club’s sporting director, Deco, on Friday to explore the possibility of a move.

The conversation marked a significant first contact, but Nico is a man in demand across Europe, and several major clubs are monitoring the situation closely, prepared to challenge Barcelona for his signature.

Bayern, Chelsea, and Arsenal in the race

Indeed, according to SPORT, German champions Bayern Munich are interested in signing Nico Williams, along with Premier League duo Arsenal and Chelsea.

At the moment, Bayern Munich appear to be Barcelona’s strongest competitor at present. The German giants have also held talks with the player’s agent to assess his interest.

The Bavarian giants aim to re-establish themselves as a dominant force in the UEFA Champions League and see Nico as a viable addition to their ranks.

Man in demand. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

Nico is also attracting strong interest from the Premier League. Arsenal are determined to strengthen their squad after finishing behind Liverpool in the league and falling short in the Champions League semi-finals against PSG.

Chelsea are also keen on signing the 22-year-old winger as they prepare for their return to the Champions League after winning the Conference League. The Blues are planning another high-profile summer of spending and see Nico as a fitting target to elevate their squad.

Both London clubs are more than capable of meeting the Athletic Club star’s €62 million release clause, as are Bayern Munich.

All three would also be able to offer the Spanish international a more lucrative contract than Barcelona.

However, the Catalans may have the edge thanks to the youthful core being developed under Hansi Flick – many of whom are close friends of the Athletic Club forward. Furthermore, his first preference would be to continue in Spain.

A final decision is not expected immediately as Nico wants to review all offers carefully before choosing his next destination.