Chelsea target Nico Williams is unlikely to leave Spain this summer
According to Italian football journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, as reported by Football London, Athletic Club forward Nico Williams is unlikely to move out of Spain this summer even if were to move elsewhere amidst interest from Chelsea.
Williams made quite the name for himself at the recently concluded UEFA Euro 2024 as he led La Roja to a fourth European triumph.
The 22-year-old winger’s performances have attracted interest from both within and outside Spain, with the likes of Chelsea and Barcelona heavily linked with him.
However, Di Marzio thinks Williams is more likely to move to Barcelona.
“At the moment, Barcelona is Nico Williams’ likely destination.
“A few weeks ago Chelsea were keen to sign him, but I think the player would rather stay in Spain. Otherwise Chelsea would have paid his release clause.
“The player prefers to stay in Spain and in Barcelona he can play with Lamine Yamal, as he did in the national team.
“Barcelona will do everything to get him and to have him as an answer to Real Madrid’s signing of Kylian Mbappe. At the moment, Barcelona is the most likely destination for him.”
Di Marzio speaking to Wettbasis, as quoted by Football London.
Williams made his debut for Athletic Club a little over three years ago. For their senior team, he has gone on to score 20 goals and provide 26 assists in 122 appearances.
His current contract at the club, fetching him a little over €200k per week, makes him the second-highest earner at the club behind only his elder brother, Iñaki, and is set to run until June 2027.
Money talks
If the player really isn’t interested in leaving Spain, then there’s very little Chelsea or any other club can do.
The Blues can always be relied upon to offer players a lucrative contract, especially in comparison to Barcelona, who are expected to barely able to scrape together enough along with a loan to land Nico in the name of maintaining reputation and match Real Madrid’s signing of Kylian Mbappé, but if the player does not want it, no amount of money can help.
Williams is amazing, and he is young, so one can expect him to be on the market soon enough if Barcelona are to continue spending the way they do despite their financial predicament.
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Chelsea, in the meantime, have enough players to make do.
