There is a chance that signing Athletic Bilbao and Spain winger Nico Williams this summer could backfire on Arsenal.
Nico Williams is certainly an impressive talent.
The Spanish winger has been electric at Euro 2024 so far. Arsenal are now keen to secure Williams for themselves ahead of the new domestic season.
The 21-year-old has a £43 million release clause, making him a relatively inexpensive option for the Gunners to consider on the initial transfer fee front.
It is easy to see why Mikel Arteta would want to add Williams to his ranks at Arsenal. He boasts searing pace, excellent technical ability, and has an eye for goal. For Athletic Bilbao last season, in 37 appearances, across all competitions, he racked up 8 goals and 19 assists.
What’s more, Williams can comfortably play on either flank, meaning that he would provide competition for Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli on the left wing at the Emirates Stadium, and cover for Bukayo Saka on the right.
However, there is one drawback to signing the 16-cap international that the Gunners must consider very carefully before pulling the trigger on a deal.
Arsenal cautioned against signing Nico Williams this summer
Whilst Nico’s asking price, due to the presence of a release clause in his current contract, is relatively low, his wages are extremely high.
Athletic Bilbao are an unusually run club. It is the club’s policy to bring local players up through their own ranks, and only sign players who are native to, or grew up in, the Basque region of Spain.
As they have such a limited pool of players to draw from, the La Liga outfit protect their assets by rewarding them with inflated wage packages. Willliams is one such high earner.
Journalist Charles Watts has now informed the Gunners that this could create issues in North London if they were to sign the player.
Speaking on his Inside Arsenal YouTube channel, the reporter said: “Nico Williams is on big, big money at Athletic Bilbao… The wages that he is asking for, that I’ve heard is the sort of figure that is what he wants, is big, big money.
“He’d shoot straight to the top, being in the top two of Arsenal’s highest earners, should he sign this summer. For a relatively young, inexperienced kid, that could cause problems in terms of wage bills and senior players around him.”
Should Mikel Arteta give up on bringing Williams to Arsenal?
As things stand, Kai Havertz is the highest-paid player on the books at Arsenal, earning £280,000-a-week. The German is followed by Gabriel Jesus, who takes home £265,000-a-week.
This duo were Champions League and Premier League winners, respectively, prior to their arrival at Arsenal. Williams is yet to achieve such success in his career, having just a single Copa del Rey title to his name.
For all of his quality, if signing Williams would upset the dressing room harmony that Arteta has worked so hard to cultivate at Arsenal, then the Gunners have to avoid such a deal.