TOP spenders Chelsea have joined Arsenal in the race for Spain star Nico Williams, according to reports.
Liverpool are also interested in the 22-year-old who has a bargain £48m release clause in his Athletic Bilbao contract.
All three Premier League giants – who are also battling it out for title this season – have been long-term admirers of Williams.
The winger impressed for La Roja during Euro 2024 and his Man of the Match performance helped them to victory over England in the final.
Both London clubs and those at Anfield considered a move for him last summer, but he was reportedly not ready to leave Bilbao.
Williams is primarily a left winger, but can play on the other flank as a right-footer and has become one of Europe’s most sought-after young players.
Before the recent injuries to Bukayo Saka, Raheem Sterling and Ethan Nwaneri, all eyes were on Arsenal’ left wing position, with competition needed for the likes of Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard.
And the LaLiga star’s relatively light release clause makes him the perfect option to slot right in.
However, the fact the £48m fee would need to paid in full, plus Williams’ salary demands, could make any deal problematic for the Gunners, according to The Athletic.
David Ornstein explained how Mikel Arteta “would like” to sign Williams now, but the money involved make it “unlikely”.
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Williams is understood to earn £166,300 per week at boyhood club Bilbao, but would likely command a pay rise towards the £200,000 mark to move on.
To put this into context, that salary would make him Arsenal’s joint fifth-highest earner alongside Thomas Partey.
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And free-spending Chelsea could swoop in instead.
They do already possess a number of options on the flanks – Jadon Sancho, Cole Palmer, Noni Madueke and Pedro Neto to name a few.
But Todd Boehly is constantly on the lookout for cost-effective ways to improve the Blues’ squad.
And Enzo Maresca would love to have Williams to call on in his bid to get Chelsea’s unlikely title bid back on track after a dodgy December.
While, considering Mohamed Salah’s high-profile contract stalemate, Liverpool might see Williams as the perfect long-term replacement for the Egyptian.
The superstar is out of contract in the summer and has consistently claimed he has not held talks with the club.
Liverpool fans are desperate to keep hold of their hero, who shared a cryptic post after the 2-2 draw with Manchester United.
Salah, 32, shared a photo from the match of himself standing over a free-kick alongside Trent Alexander-Arnold with Virgil van Dijk in the background – the pair also have just six months left on their deals.
Meanwhile, Barcelona are also in for Williams and the club came close to luring him to the Nou Camp five months ago.
Williams was given the No10 shirt by the club in August and allegedly has ambitions to eventually join the cash-strapped Catalans.
But he has failed to continue his impressive form this season, having scored twice in 24 competitive appearances.
