Nico Williams tells Athletic Club he wants to join Barcelona in huge blow to Arsenal | OneFootball

Arsenal have been dealt a massive blow in their bid to sign Athletic Club winger Nico Williams.

According to The Athletic, Williams has informed the Basque club that he wishes to join Barcelona, effectively ruling out interest from other potential suitors.

Arsenal are long-term admirers of the Spain international. They’ve been tracking him since his explosive performance for Spain at the 2024 European Championship.

Williams is considered one of Europe’s brightest prospects. A move was on the cards last summer, but he opted to stay with Athletic to help the club fight for the Europa League title.

However, the Spaniard is now ready for a new chapter. A potential exit has been the hot topic of the summer, with the forward linked with several clubs.

Arsenal weren’t the only Premier League club interested. Liverpool and Chelsea were also in the mix, but the player’s exorbitant wage demands forced the latter duo to explore other options.

Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain have also expressed interest in Williams.

The Gunners were still keen but prioritised bringing in a striker over shoring up their options on the wings.

The 22-year-old winger has two years left on his contract with Athletic. Even after informing the club of his decision, they’re expected to fight to keep him.

Williams has a €60 million (£51m) release clause in his contract, and Athletic want the full fee paid up front rather than in instalments.

Barcelona are ready to meet their demands but are timing their move carefully to comply with La Liga’s financial fair play regulations after June 30.

With Williams now set to join the La Liga champions, Arsenal have to look elsewhere for attacking reinforcements.