Arsenal surprisingly did not make any additions in the January transfer window, but seem ahead in their planning for the summer as they plan to activate Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams’ €60m release clause. This is as per reports from Spanish outlet El Nacional, who have added that the Gunners will offer Williams a significant bump in his paycheck to fend off interest from FC Barcelona.
The Catalans are famously in deep trouble financially, and have struggled to register players over the last couple of seasons. Despite making adjustments within the club, they may struggle to compete with Arsenal in terms of offering a desirable contract to the player, who is currently one of the highest-rated left wingers in world football.
Nico Williams’ form this season, however, has not done justice to his overall abilities. In 30 games for Athletic across competitions, he has managed just four goals and five assists. This has not deterred potential suitors from showing their hand regarding interest in the player, though, as clubs line up to try and acquire the Spaniard.
Arsenal need backup in key positions
Wingers and attackers in general have one of the most physically demanding jobs on a football pitch. By nature, the role involves a lot of sprints and quick movements for players, which increases the risk of injury and the possibility of fatigue. Currently, Arsenal have just three senior wingers at the club in Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard.
As seen by the current situation, if even one of the three gets injured for a significant amount of time, it puts tremendous pressure on the other two. Should a second player get injured, the Gunners will face a crisis and will have to overwork 17-year-old Nwaneri, whom Mikel Arteta has been carefully easing into the demands of first-team football.
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Aged 22 and known for his incredible engine, adding Nico Williams to the mix would be a huge step in the right direction for Arsenal. The player meets the requirements for being a starter at the club, and will add plenty of options for Arteta to pick from.
It remains to be seen if the move materializes.
