Chelsea send Nico Williams to Arsenal as Blues take €80m transfer gamble

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Robin Bairner | Chief Editor

Chelsea are ready to allow Nico Williams to sign for Arsenal but are instead chasing their “priority” target on the left wing in a dramatic transfer market twist.

Athletic Club’s Nico Williams is one of the most wanted players as the summer approaches, with a tempting €58 million release clause fuelling speculation that the Spain international winger could be on the move.

Chelsea and Arsenal are among the clubs who have pursued a deal for the 22-year-old while rumours that Barcelona could re-ignite a move have quietened due to the electric form of Ballon d’Or candidate Raphinha.

But now the Stamford Bridge club are ready to prioritise another option in the same area of the park, according to TBR Football.

Jamie Gittens of Borussia Dortmund has moved ahead of Nico Williams on the shortlist of Chelsea, who appear prepared to chance the Bilbao-based star going to arch rivals Arsenal instead.

Enzo Maresca’s side have been told there’s a “real possibility” of a deal being struck.

Football transfer news reporter Graham Bailey says: “There have been conversations. Gittens wants to come back to the Premier League – he’s ready now. So it’s a real possibility.

“There have been talks about him recently, and it’s been progressing in recent weeks. He could very well be the one.”

Gittens is likely to cost substantially more than Nico Williams, with his price quoted at €81.5m – significantly above his Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €67.6m.

Why pick Gittens over Nico Williams?

Gittens could prove a better signing than Nico Williams, with data analytics firm SciSports showing that the Borussia Dortmund star actually has a higher potential than the Spain star.

In terms of ability to make an immediate impact, however, the 20-year-old Englishman notably lags the Athletic star. According to SciSports, the only areas in which he is a significantly superior player are crossing and ball retention.

Chelsea, then, are making a bet that Gittens can fulfil his potential at Stamford Bridge and become a stronger player than Nico in the long term.