Arsenal have been linked with a move for Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams, but will face a lot of competition from sides including Chelsea.
The 21-year-old has been in sensational form for Athletic Club, helping them reach the Copa Del Rey final, and Mikel Arteta is keen on bringing him in for extra speed and firepower.
A reported £43m release clause in his contract should make a deal straightforward with his club, but the key will be offering Williams a deal more appealing than his other suitors.
With Chelsea also interested, the possibility of losing out on Williams, in a similar scenario to that of Mykhaylo Mudryk, would be a frustration, but Arsenal may have an advantage.
David Ornstein highlights Chelsea transfer problem
In a Q&A with The Athletic, journalist David Ornstein highlighted that Chelsea and other Premier League sides, with Arsenal expected to be one of them, are interested in Williams, but the West Londoners might struggle to sign him.
“He’s a player Chelsea and other Premier League clubs like and have been looking at for a while,” Ornstein stated of Williams.
“The size of his salary could be problematic, so I would classify Williams to Chelsea as unlikely, but let’s see.”
Arsenal are well-positioned for summer of spending
Chelsea look set to miss out on European football for the second season in a row, and two years of heavy spending has now meant homegrown assets may leave to comply with profit and sustainability rules.
In contrast to this, Arsenal will have two years of Champions League funding, and they could earn huge profits for players such as Aaron Ramsdale and Eddie Nketiah.
This means that, should both Chelsea and Arsenal activate Williams’ release clause, Arsenal may be able to offer a larger wage.
Arsenal will not be struggling at all financially this summer, and given that Arteta’s side are thriving near the top of the Premier League, whilst Chelsea are languishing well behind, it seems that Arsenal can offer Williams a better financial, and sporting package, than Chelsea can.
Williams is being targeted for his remarkable dribbling ability and speed, as someone who can cover for both Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka.
The Spaniard can play across the front line, and has the potential to develop into a world-class winger under the right manager, which is he is unlikely to find at Chelsea.