Arsenal handed major transfer boost as Barcelona accept reality over contract demands

Arsenal person agelong been linked with a determination for Athletic Bilbao prima Nico Williams but faced terrible contention from Spanish giants Barcelona but the Gunners person moved up successful the race

Arsenal could person a escaped tally astatine Spain prima Nico Williams with Barcelona's pursuit hitting the buffers.

Both sides person agelong been linked with a determination for the winger implicit the past season. The Gunners successful peculiar were keen successful the summertime but opted for a much affordable swoop for Raheem Sterling from Chelsea.

But the accidental to motion Williams could perchance unfastened up again successful the adjacent aboriginal for Arsenal. The 22-year-old has a €65million (£54.2m) merchandise clause written into his deal.

The Gunners and Barcelona would perchance beryllium capable to activate that. But Williams’ wage demands marque a woody hard for the latter.

His demands of astir €9m to €10m-per-season (£7.5m to £8.3m) are excessively precocious for Barcelona. And according to ESPN, they are present looking for alternatives which includes Napoli prima Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

That could permission Arsenal with a escaped tally astatine Williams - who scored 8 goals and notched 19 assists past term. He is already disconnected the people this play excessively with 2 goals and 2 assists successful each competitions.

Barcelona main Deco has already spoken retired connected a woody for Williams. He said that they were funny but were forced to motion Dani Olmo instead.

“Nico is simply a subordinate who, yes, we were funny successful during the summer. We tried to bring him in, but from there, the subordinate made a decision, and beingness goes on," Deco said.

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"We brought successful Dani Olmo, who was our precedence due to the fact that we didn’t person that benignant of subordinate successful our squad. The thought with Nico was to adhd much contention upfront, due to the fact that we wanted high-level competition, but erstwhile the subordinate shows nary involvement successful coming, there’s nary further discussion.”

Meanwhile, Barcelona statesmanlike campaigner Victor Font took purpose astatine Joan Laporta for misleading fans astir a woody for the Spanish forward. Speaking to The Athletic, helium said: “I privation we could motion Nico Williams due to the fact that that’s what we need.

“The president has said that it is possible, but that is not true. Today it cannot beryllium done. We anticipation that it volition beryllium imaginable tomorrow. But today, it is not.

“The members privation to imagination and judge what they archer us. The occupation is that they person been telling america for 3 summers that everything is fine, that we volition motion players and that everything is resolved. With each passing year, credibility falls. And this summer, if promises are not kept, credibility volition autumn adjacent more.”

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