Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly planning to ‘hijack’ Arsenal’s deal to sign Athletic Bilbao star Nico Williams this summer, as per the Express.
After coming through the Spanish side’s youth system, the 21-year-old has established himself as a talismanic figure for the Lions in recent times. He has continued his impressive performances this season as well, helping his team to reach the final of Copa del Rey and mount a top-four charge.
The youngster’s eye-catching performances have attracted a lot of attention from several big clubs around Europe with Arsenal among those to have registered their interest.
Now, according to the report by the Mirror(via the Express), Tottenham have also entered the race to sign Williams and they have sent scouts to watch the winger in action closely before making a potential swoop this summer. So, the Express claims that Spurs could eventually manage to ‘hijack’ Arsenal’s deal to sign Williams ahead of next season.
The 21-year-old has a £43m release clause included in his current contract so Arsenal or Spurs will have to splash a sizable amount of money to sign the forward.
Battle
It has been suggested that Arsenal want to sign a new forward to support Bukayo Saka. Several names have been linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium in recent times with Williams being among them.
The forward is a versatile player as he can play on both flanks. He is quick, strong, technically sound, can deliver excellent crosses from wide areas, is efficient in finishing off his chances, can create opportunities for fellow attackers and also works hard without possession. Williams is a talented player and possesses high potential so he would be a shrewd signing for Arsenal if they purchase him.
On the other hand, it seems despite having several wingers at their disposal, Spurs want to sign a new option to beef up their flanks. However, the Lilywhites lack depth in their striker department so they should sign a new centre-forward before purchasing a new winger.
Therefore, Williams would be better off joining Arsenal over Tottenham if both the North London club go head-to-head with each other over this deal during the off-season.
