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News
- 46 minutes ago
Arsenal in dreamland as €100m winger ready to join
Cameron Smith
- 16 Feb 2026 16:31 GMT
- 4 min read
News
Arsenal have reportedly been informed that long-term target Nico Williams is ready to consider an Athletic Club exit this summer.
The Spain international was heavily linked with a blockbuster transfer last year, amid significant interest from both Arsenal and Barcelona, however he opted to sign a lucrative new 10-year contract at his boyhood club instead.
Current ETV
Nico Williams
F, M (L)
Athletic
Nico Williams
F, M (L)
Athletic
ETV Range
€63.4M - €77.5M
Despite this, Williams has endured a tough 2025-26 season and with Athletic Club languishing down in ninth place in the Spanish top flight table, he is now willing to consider his future at the club.
That is according to a report from TEAMtalk, who claim that intermediaries have informed Arsenal that a deal could be possible this summer.
Williams’ new deal at Athletic Club reportedly contains a €100 million release clause and the 23-year-old is now willing to listen to offers from potential suitors.
Arsenal and Barcelona are once again expected to be the frontrunners for Williams’ signature this summer, although Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain have also been told that a transfer could be on the cards.
Nico Williams injury woes
Williams has scored four goals and provided six assists in 26 appearances across all competitions so far this campaign and Arsenal view him as a potential marquee signing amid their pursuit of a player capable of displacing Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard in their preferred starting XI.
However, the Spain superstar hasn’t been able to display his best form this season after suffering with pubalgia - an issue that has also plagued Lamine Yamal and Cole Palmer this term.
Speaking to Estadio Deportivo over the weekend, Nico’s older brother Inaki Williams admitted: “He’s done for, he’s really struggling.
“He’s been dealing with discomfort since September. It’s true that with pubalgia, some days you’re fine and then the next you’re not.
“I already mentioned last week that he told me he was starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel ... And now it seems like he's taken two or three steps backwards.”
Williams added: “I think these weeks, with matches every weekend, will be good for him to manage his workload, recover, undergo conservative treatment during the week, and try to be ready for the weekends to compete.”
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