‘Very close’: Gunners on verge of signing £50m La Liga

Arsenal are reported to be close to securing Nico Williams’s services from Athletic Bilbao, who had previously been confident of keeping the winger at the club.

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta will be determined to end the 2025-26 season with silverware after missing out on the Premier League title last term to Liverpool, finishing second for a third consecutive campaign.

The manager will almost certainly look to reinforce in his offensive ranks considering his side were plagued by a number of injuries to their forward players in 2024-25.

Arsenal have been touted as a potential suitor to striker Benjamin Sesko, but they have also been linked with a number of wide players capable of playing from the left.

Fichajes report that the Londoners believe they are close to signing Nico Williams from Athletic Bilbao, who would have no power to keep the attacker if a team activates his release clause, said to be just under £50m.

Why Arteta must make Williams work

Williams was a key part of the Spain squad that won the Euros in the summer of 2024, with his pace and trickery from the left complementing the flair and creativity of Lamine Yamal on the right.

Given he has proven he can function well as part of a fluid attacking unit, perhaps Arteta could look to use Bukayo Saka in place of Yamal and try to replicate the dynamic that Spain used so successfully.

However, Williams endured a mixed season with his domestic side, scoring 11 goals and providing seven assists in 45 appearances across all competitions.

If Arteta was to bring the 22-year-old to the Emirates, he would almost certainly come into the XI on the left in place of Gabriel Martinelli, who has struggled for some time.

There is an argument that Martinelli failed to impress last term as a result of the team’s lack of creativity, with the club as a whole having only generated 59.9xG, the seventh highest figure in the top flight.

Unless Arteta finds ways of improving chance creation, there is a risk that Williams could find it difficult to impact games, something that may ultimately cost the Gunners boss his job.

Arsenal have failed to win a major trophy since they claimed the FA Cup at the end of 2019-20 season, and if Arteta does not solve the team’s attacking issues, then supporters’ faith in him could soon dissipate.

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