Chelsea are plotting an audacious swoop to sign Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams, according to Fichajes.
Over the last two seasons, Williams has established himself among the world’s leading wingers, consistently delivering strong performances at both club and international levels.
His journey at Bilbao began in 2013, when he left the CA Osasuna academy to join the club at just 11 years old. Williams worked his way through the Under-18 and Under-19 teams before moving into the reserve side, where he continued his development in the Segunda División.
A first-team breakthrough eventually followed on 28 April 2021, when the Basque side brought him on for Jon Morcillo during their 2-2 draw with Real Valladolid.
Williams has since become a regular for Bilbao, making 204 appearances and contributing 75 goals and assists since establishing himself in the senior side.
Internationally, the 24-year-old has also become an important member of Spain’s squad. He played a key part in La Roja’s UEFA Euro 2024 triumph before helping them secure this year’s FIFA World Cup title.
Despite interest in his services last summer, Williams stayed put at the San Memes and has been a key player in Edin Terzic’s side this season. featuring in five of the last six LaLiga games
Still, Williams remains a subject of keen interest, as Fichajes claims that Chelsea have placed the winger on their radar ahead of a potential transfer.
Audacious swoop
The Blues have maintained a longstanding interest in the 24-year-old prior to his 2025 contract extension that led to his increased release clause to a reported £77m, according to the report.
Williams is also the subject of a £68m offer from the London giants, although Bilbao are yet to confirm they have received any offers from the club, Fichajes adds.
However, Chelsea are set to face strong competition to sign the Spaniard, as Fichajes, citing TransferFeed, reports that Arsenal and Man Utd are also planning to launch a swoop on the attacking ace.
Xabi Alonso has a plethora of attackers in his squad, with the majority of them being wingers. However, the former Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen boss’s system does not favour traditional wingers unless they are deployed as wing-backs, as seen with Pedro Neto, or in one of the two No. 10 positions, as seen with Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers.
As a result, a move for Williams is not entirely a necessity at this point, and the club should instead invest the funds into bolstering their midfield and defence, which have conceded the most Premier League goals so far this season.
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