Arsenal have been handed a boost in their pursuit of Nico Williams with Barcelona considering moving on to alternative targets.
The Gunners are one of several Premier League teams interested in the Athletic Bilbao winger, who starred for Spain at the summer’s European Championship. Williams was a key part of Spain’s success and opened the scoring in the Euro 2024 final win over England.
Chelsea and Liverpool have also been linked with Williams, though Barcelona appeared frontrunners for a deal. However, the Catalans were frustrated in their attempts to sign the 22-year-old in the summer and are now considering alternatives.
Calciomercato are reporting that AC Milan winger Rafael Leao is an option for Barcelona and the Spaniards could offer players in exchange to get a deal done. Ferran Torres has been named as a potential makeweight as Barcelona look to bring the cost down for a player whose release clause is set at €175m (£147.5m).
The 25-year-old is one of Serie A’s leading lights and was named the division’s Most Valuable Player as AC Milan won the Scudetto in 2021/22. Last season, the Portugal international led Italy’s top flight for assists.
Premier League clubs handed Williams boost
The news could be a big boost to Premier League clubs who could reignite their interest in Williams next summer.
Arsenal signed Raheem Sterling on loan from Chelsea on deadline day, though Williams could be a longer-term signing for the North London side.
Liverpool also added to their attacking options with the arrival of Federico Chiesa. However, Mohamed Salah’s future at Anfield is unclear after entering the final season of his deal with the club.
