Liverpool face an uphill battle to sign target Nico Williams as the attacker plans to stay at Athletic Club for the foreseeable future, according to Mundo Deportivo (h/t Liverpool Echo).
The Reds have been linked with a move for the 21-year-old in recent months. Liverpool are sweating over the long-term future of Mohamed Salah amid interest from Saudi Arabia, and Williams could be seen as a potential replacement.
He has caught the attention since breaking into the La Liga outfit’s senior team a few seasons back. As per The Sun, the youngster has a £45 million release clause in his current contract, so he’d be a cost-effective signing.
However, it looks like Liverpool face a fight to sign Williams if they decide to formalise their interest. According to reports in Spain via the Liverpool Echo, Athletic have already started talks with the Spain international’s camp over a new contract.
Williams is adamant about staying at the Bilbao-based club as he wants to continue developing at Bilbao. The decision seems wise from the youngster’s point of view in regard to his development.
Athletic unearthed Williams from their youth ranks. In the 2021/22 term, the forward established himself as a regular in the La Liga side’s first team. However, while the youngster put in some encouraging displays, he seemed to be missing the end product.
However, in the previous campaign, Williams showcased his ability in the final third. In 43 appearances in all competitions, the youngster found the back of the net nine times and provided six assists. He has started the new season in fine fashion by setting up four goals in four league matches.
Liverpool’s attacking depth
At Liverpool, Mohamed Salah has been the talisman for several years now. However, will the Egyptian still be at Jurgen Klopp’s disposal next season? Only time will tell.
But even if Liverpool lose Salah, they have an abundance of talent in the attack. Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota are talented players in their own rights.
Williams is a prospect with a lot of potential. While he might not want to leave Athletic at the moment, it will be interesting to see whether the youngster’s stance will remain the same in the coming years if teams like Liverpool continue to show an interest.
