BREAKING NEWS: Arsenal maintain interest in Nico Williams, not given up on signing him
Arsenal maintain an interest in signing Athletic Club winger Nico Williams, according to Spanish publication Sport.
Arsenal NewsArsenal maintain interest in Nico Williams, not given up on signing himby Ed Davison22 July 2026
Arsenal maintain an interest in signing Athletic Club winger Nico Williams, according to Spanish publication Sport.
The Gunners have already reached an agreement to sign a left-sided winger. Club Brugge’s Christos Tzolis is poised to join this week.
Arsenal are also exploring a marquee acquisition for the position.
Morgan Rogers was a prime left-wing target for the Gunners, but Chelsea recently clinched his signature from Aston Villa for £117 million.
Arsenal now need to look for a proper alternative, and Sport report that the Gunners have ‘definitely not given up’ on signing Williams.
Williams is expecting a ‘calm’ summer after signing a lengthy Athletic contract last year, but Mikel Arteta’s side continue to ‘maintain an interest’.
Arsenal may not revive pursuit of Williams
The Gunners were locked in talks with Villa for Rogers earlier this month, but the Premier League holders decided against matching Chelsea’s £117m bid.
Keeping that in mind, Arsenal may not pursue a deal for Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola either, given the French club value him at over £116m.
Williams was a top target for the Gunners last summer, but the Spaniard put the speculation to bed by signing a staggering 10-year contract at Athletic.
His decision caught plenty of attention. The 24-year-old followed it up with an injury-plagued season where he made just 13 goal contributions from 32 appearances.
Questions were raised about Luis de la Fuente’s decision to pick him for the World Cup, but he made his mark in the final with the match-winning assist for Ferran Torres.
Williams scored a goal prior to that, but it was chalked off for Mikel Merino’s unfortunate foul on Nicolas Otamendi. The VAR decision could have easily gone either way.
Sport have reignited Arsenal’s interest in Williams, but we doubt whether the Gunners will make an approach for a player, who missed 18 games with four injuries last term.
His fitness has been a worry over the past 18 months or so. De La Fuente used him solely as a substitute for Spain at the World Cup. He played just 108 minutes in seven matches.
With Williams’ injury record and fitness issues, Arsenal could stay away from a possible deal.
Furthermore, he already earns a hefty £282,000 per week at Athletic, while the current release clause in his long-term contract until June 2035 stands at a significant £77m.
Even if Arsenal trigger the clause, Williams may demand a sizeable salary hike, rising to £350k per week at least. We believe he would be a risky signing after an injury-plagued year
