Arsenal suffer huge blow in race for £50m superstar as summer target 'agrees six-year deal' with European giants

 

Arsenal have suffered a major setback in their pursuit of Spanish winger Nico Williams as the Athletic Bilbao star reportedly agreed personal terms with Barcelona. The 22 year old forward has been one of the most talked about talents in European football and was being tracked closely by both Arsenal and Chelsea ahead of the summer transfer window. Barcelona have now taken the lead in the race to sign him with reports confirming that Williams has agreed a six year contract with the LaLiga champions. His proposed salary is believed to be between seven and eight million euros per year. While personal terms are reportedly in place the transfer is not complete yet. Barcelona still need to finalise a financial agreement with Athletic Bilbao who are insisting the player's fifty million pound release clause be paid in full. Barcelona on the other hand would prefer to spread the payment in instalments due to their ongoing financial constraints. Despite this gap the deal appears to be progressing with the Catalan giants confident of securing the winger's signature. This development is a serious blow to Arsenal who have been targeting Williams to strengthen their options on the left wing. The club is actively looking to reinforce their squad with wide attackers and had been monitoring Williams for months. However his desire to remain in Spain and join Barcelona has likely ended their hopes of signing him.

Barcelona's long standing interest in Nico Williams has taken a significant step forward after the player reportedly agreed to join the club this summer. The winger had been on their radar since last year and his standout performances at Euro twenty twenty four only increased their urgency. Williams formed a dynamic partnership with Lamine Yamal and even scored the opening goal in Spain's two one victory over England in the final. His strong showing on the international stage reinforced his status as one of the most exciting young wingers in the game.

At club level Williams was a key figure for Athletic Bilbao last season scoring eleven goals and providing seven assists in forty five matches across all competitions. His contribution helped Bilbao finish fourth in LaLiga earning them a place in European competition. Barcelona believe his speed creativity and eye for goal make him a perfect fit for their left flank especially under new manager Hansi Flick. Sporting director Deco had previously stated that Barcelona were in the market for a winger and had even shown interest in Marcus Rashford and Luis Diaz. However Williams has emerged as their primary target. The agreement on personal terms is seen as a major breakthrough even though the financial details with Bilbao still need to be resolved. The move to Barcelona would see Williams join a young and talented core that includes the likes of Pedri Gavi and Yamal. It also represents a statement of intent by the Catalan club as they look to rebuild and challenge both domestically and in Europe. While Arsenal and Chelsea may still be monitoring the situation it is clear that Barcelona are now in pole position and are working hard to close the deal in the coming weeks.

See also: Trent Alexander-Arnold reveals how long he's been learning Spanish after shocking fans with his fluency during his unveiling