Mikel Arteta's perfect replacement for Bukayo Saka has responded to Arsenal transfer plan

Arsenal person repeatedly been linked with a transportation swoop for Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams, who's already outlined his plans for the aboriginal successful a telling statement

Nico Williams has already pledged his loyalty to Athletic Club amid reports Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is simply a large instrumentality of the young winger.

While the Gunners searched for a caller wide subordinate successful the summer, Wiliams dashed fans' hopes that helium would soon beryllium heading to the Emirates Stadium. A pivotal subordinate successful Spain's triumph astatine Euro 2024, helium was unmoved by the caller involvement successful him implicit the summer. "It's bully large teams person you connected their agenda, but I've ever been clear, I privation to beryllium here," Williams told Mundo Deportivo successful September.

"Athletic Club is simply a antithetic feeling that you don't get astatine different clubs. I'm truly looking guardant to doing large things astatine this club. There were approaches from galore clubs. My bosom is with Athletic. I person a declaration here, but who knows what happens successful future. I wanted to enactment due to the fact that playing successful Europe with Athletic Club was what I was astir excited about."

The Athletic has reported that Arteta is keen connected Williams, who tops his database of wide targets. Arsenal's onslaught is partially blunted by Bukayo Saka's absence, but persuading Williams to permission the Basque nine whitethorn beryllium challenging for the Gunners.

Arsenal are reportedly looking to boost their attacking options successful the January transportation windows to support up with Premier League leaders Liverpool. Their 2-2 gully with Aston Villa connected Saturday aft squandering a two-goal pb further highlighted their deficiency of consistency this season.

Ever since Saka was sidelined with a hamstring wounded successful December, Arsenal's onslaught has somewhat misfired, and his lack whitethorn hasten an attack for Williams. The Bilbao prima has emerged arsenic 1 of the sport's starring forwards, but Arsenal are not the lone nine monitoring the Spain international.

He played a cardinal relation successful helping his puerility nine unafraid their archetypal Copa del Rey rubric since 1984 past play earlier impressing for his state successful the summer. After failing to drawback up Williams, Arsenal brought successful Raheem Sterling connected indebtedness from Chelsea, but the erstwhile Manchester City ace has struggled to recapture his champion signifier successful northbound London.

Williams remains Arsenal's superior people for the position, though Barcelona are besides long-time admirers and are believed to person had a bid rejected past summer. Meanwhile, Liverpool whitethorn see him a imaginable replacement for Mo Salah should the Egyptian neglect to hold to a caller contract, portion Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester City are each credited with an interest.

Williams reportedly has a merchandise clause of conscionable nether £50million, which volition request to beryllium paid successful afloat if it is activated. As 1 of Bilbao's highest earners, an summation to his reported play wage of £166k would besides beryllium expected if helium were to permission them.

Arteta has hinted astatine a imaginable determination this January, with squad extent concerns increasing progressively problematic. Frustrated by his constricted options disconnected the bench, helium contrasted the extent of his squad to league leaders Liverpool, who relied connected precocious goals from substitute Darwin Nunez to decision Brentford astatine the weekend.

"They managed to bash that [win precocious astatine Brentford], they made the subs, they made the interaction and changed the game," Arteta said. "In our broadside it was the opposite. After conceding the 2 Villa goals precise adjacent to each other, I knew the squad could spell downhill due to the fact that we were physically drained but abruptly they recovered different cogwheel to spell again."

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