Chelsea not willing to pay release clause for Nico Williams – Matteo Moretto | OneFootball

Athletic Club winger Nico Williams is the apple of many eyes currently, and with a €58m release clause, seems a relatively affordable option for many of Europe’s giants. Barcelona have a long-term interest in Williams, while Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool have all discussed him of late.

It was reported on Sunday afternoon that Chelsea had turned their attentions to Williams as their priority target for the winger position following Michael Olise’s decision to join Bayern Munich. However Matteo Moretto has told Football España that currently Chelsea are not considering a deal for Williams due to the cost of it. They feel Williams release clause and the salary demands of the 21-year-old are not within their reach currently.

This comes as something of a surprise, as Olise is set to move to Bayern for a similar fee, albeit his salary demands are unknown. Athletic Club famously do not negotiate for their star players, instead demanding their release clauses are paid in full. The fact that Chelsea cannot space out the cost of Williams – even over a five-year period – perhaps is the important part to consider, as they are believed to be toeing the line with the Premier League’s financial rules.