Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain remain in the race to sign Nico Williams from Athletic Bilbao despite Barcelona leading the chase for the in-demand winger.
Williams is arguably the most coveted player of the summer transfer window having starred during Spain’s success at the European Championship.
The 22-year-old scored twice – including the opening goal of the final win against England – and provided an assist in six games as Spain were crowned winners of Euro 2024.
A release clause in the region of £46m has got top clubs scrambling for his signature, with Barcelona the frontrunners for a deal. The Catalans have received La Liga approval to pursue a deal for Williams as the club continue to work under financial restrictions imposed by the league.
Barcelona are confident of agreeing personal terms with the player as Hansi Flick looks to unite Williams with Spain teammate Lamine Yamal at the Camp Nou. However, The Athletic are reporting that Chelsea and PSG have not given up hope of a deal, with the former targeting Williams after missing out on the signing of Michael Olise.
PSG, meanwhile, are considering replacements for Kylian Mbappe following the Frenchman’s transfer to Real Madrid. The French champions have also contacted Manchester United over a potential deal for Jadon Sancho.
