Liverpool and Arsenal are among a host of clubs who are interested in securing the services of 21-year-old Spanish winger Nico Williams, according to a report from the Mirror via Liverpool Echo.
Aston Villa and Real Madrid are also said to be interested in securing the services of the Athletic Bilbao forward, who recently signed a contract extension with the club until 2027. The player has been a regular feature for Ernesto Valverde’s side, playing 24 times, scoring five goals and providing 10 assists.
Williams has been on the radar of Arsenal and Liverpool for quite some time now. Before the player signed a new contract with the Spanish club, Liverpool were exploring the possibility of signing him on a free transfer. However, if they want to sign him in the summer now, they would have to come up with a substantial transfer fee. Transfermarkt values Williams at around £42m, but Bilbao may ask for even more considering the interest being shown.
The reason why the Spaniard seems like a realistic target for Liverpool is the uncertain future of Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian superstar has seen a lot of interest in him from the Saudi clubs in the past few months. With less than 18 months left on his current deal at Anfield, an exit looks likelier than ever for Salah this summer. If that indeed happens, then the Reds would need to find a suitable right-winger replacement in the market.
Nico Williams might not be a Salah replacement
If Liverpool are looking to sign Nico Williams as a replacement for Mohamed Salah, then the Spaniard might not be the right answer. Stylistically, the Bilbao winger is completely different to the way the Egyptian plays on the pitch.
The Reds also have a bigger issue to account for. Jurgen Klopp has announced that he is leaving the club at the end of the season and we still don’t know who would succeed him at Anfield. A new manager would come into the club with new ideas and the club must wait for him before deciding on signings.
This is not to say, however, that the 21-year-old would not be a good signing for Liverpool. A direct presence on the right flank, Nico would help the Reds a lot, especially with Trent’s new role which sees him invert a lot into midfield.
However, it’s not going to be easy for Liverpool to sign Williams as they face competition from Arsenal. Mikel Arteta is also in the market for another winger to compete with Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, and the Arsenal boss is eyeing Williams.
Real Madrid and Aston Villa are also named as suitors, so the competition is going to be fierce if Williams leaves Bilbao this summer.
