Arsenal target Nico Williams lined up for contract talks after Andrea Berta meeting

Arsenal, Barcelona and Bayern Munich are all in the hunt for Athletic Club winger Nico Williams this summer but there are still no guarantees he will leave his boyhood club due to the complicated finances involved in a potential deal

Athletic Club are keen to extend Nico Williams’ contract in a bid to fend off mounting interest from Arsenal, Barcelona and Bayern Munich. Jon Uriarte, president of the Basque outfit, hopes to keep the Euro 2024 winner beyond the summer transfer window but knows that could prove difficult given Williams is now considered one of Europe’s hottest commodities.

Arsenal view Williams as their top wide target and newly-appointed sporting director Andrea Berta is already understood to have held talks with the player’s agent Felix Tainta ahead of a potential swoop. But the sticking point for Arsenal and other interested clubs is both Williams’ sizeable release clause and the lucrative salary package he would desire in order to leave his boyhood club.

The 22-year-old’s release clause is set at £48.5million (€58m) plus taxes which would take the total package to around £51m (€60m) and the clear message being relayed from Athletic Club is the clause must be met upfront in full, not in staggered instalments.

Furthermore, Bilbao chief Uriarte plans to present Williams and his representatives with the chance to enter formal contract discussions, though at this stage, sources have stressed there are currently no active talks or negotiations between the parties regarding an extension. The silky and skilful dribbler will have two years remaining on his deal, signed in late 2023, at the end of the season.

READ MORE: Viktor Gyokeres transfer: Man Utd and Arsenal’s plans scuppered as new bidder emergesREAD MORE: Mikel Arteta confirms worst Gabriel fears as Arsenal without up to 4 defenders vs Everton

Williams remains a dream target for Barcelona but their ongoing financial struggles significantly hamper their chances of brokering a deal unless they can create notable wiggle room. Sporting director Deco is also a firm admirer of Liverpool’s Luis Diaz and has strong relations with the Colombian’s agency As1.

The Spain international is believed to be very relaxed over his future and sources have indicated he does not want any distractions as he bids to finish the campaign strongly. Athletic Club are currently sitting fourth in the La Liga table and are on course to secure Champions League qualification for next season.

His older brother, Inaki, is also set to become club captain for the 2025-26 campaign and Bilbao are optimistic that could help persuade Williams to stay put for at least another year. On May 21, San Mames will stage the Europa League final and the prospect of lifting a European trophy on home soil is considered an obsession in the Basque country. Hypothetically, if Williams was to pursue a new venture in the coming months, there would arguably be no better way to sign off having also won the Copa del Rey last season.

Chelsea too, could yet enter the fray as they had the speedy forward on their radar back in 2023. That summer, Aston Villa had also tested the waters for the highly-coveted attacker and Unai Emery even flew to the Basque Country to hold private, face-to-face talks with Williams but his advances failed to bear fruit even though it’s claimed, Villa were ready to trigger the release clause. During previous contract discussions, Williams and his camp made it clear they did not want to include an unrealistic buy-out clause in fear of being priced out of a move.

Join our new WhatsApp community! Click this link to receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.