Athletic Bilbao president Jon Uriarte has stated that he intends to keep talented winger Nico Williams at the club next season, damaging prospects of a transfer to Arsenal or anywhere else.
Williams, 22, looked a real danger to defenders at last summer’s European Championships. He scored twice and assisted once on the way to Spain lifting the trophy by beating England in the final.
It quickly prompted a transfer saga, one that Arsenal were at the heart of alongside Barcelona, though the winger stayed put with no one meeting his release clause believed to be worth €55 million (£47m).
In the time that has passed Williams has completed the 2024/25 campaign with his boyhood club, finding the net a further 11 times with seven assists on top.
Perhaps expectant that interest will reemerge, Athletic’s president has sought to squash it within this initial ten-day transfer window.
“I believe we have a winning and interesting project for everyone, and Nico is part of that project, just like many other players,” Uriate has told Spanish news outlet El Correo.
“The project becomes easier if we keep our players – and I believe Nico and the rest of the squad have a very exciting year ahead.”
With the Gunners yet to make a move for anybody so far it is unknown if this hardline stance of Athletic’s will prove a stumbling block in their plans.
football.london understand that the club are targeting multiple positions to strengthen this summer, particular as part of the attack.
It was claimed by Sky Sports that Williams has been under consideration by new sporting director Andrea Berta, who has also done research on Real Madrid’s Rodrygo, Bayern Munich’s Leroy Sane and Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers.
Speaking at the end last summer, Williams clarified that whilst he did not intend to move at the time he hinted he would consider his options in 2025.
“It’s always good when big teams want you,” he said. “But I always said that I wanted to be here. If there was anything, it was from my agent. I wanted to play in Europe with Bilbao [this season].
“My heart is Bilbao, but nobody knows what will happen in the future.”
Bar an intervention from the player in question, the decision may have been made for him already.
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