Arsenal have a lot of work to do in the summer transfer window as Mikel Arteta aims to add a top-level striker to his side. There is an emphasis on goals, especially considering how much the Gunners have struggled in the wake of a major injury crisis of their front line.
One player who has been linked with a move to the club is Nico Williams of Athletic Club. The Spain international rose to prominence last season when he helped the national side win the European Championships, scoring in the final against England.
Arsenal and Arteta, in particular, were keen on the winger last summer, but he instead decided to remain in Bilbao. This is not a big surprise, having reportedly been keen on a move to Barcelona, which was impossible at the time and still may face problems in the future too.
Furthermore, Athletic Club will see their brilliant stadium, San Mames, host the Europa League final this season, a tournament that Williams’s side have a great chance of reaching. They face Roma in their last-16 clash and should they progress will face either one of Rangers or Fenerbahce in the quarter-final.
On the other side of the potential semi-final bracket is FCSB, Lyon, Manchester United or Basque rivals Real Sociedad. Williams, therefore, could indeed play in the Europa League final as a result.
For Arsenal, the idea of Williams is an appealing one after the struggles of Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard. The Belgian has been far from the 17-goal pace he set last season, while Martinelli has suffered with form and injury woes.
Some have suggested that Arsenal could look to sell one of the pair in the summer, opening a space for a new senior starting left forward. Many would like a prolific goal-scorer to help carry the burden and not let it rest solely on Bukayo Saka and the hope of a new top striker, too.
That said, those hoping Williams would be that are likely to be disappointed. There is no doubt that Williams is one of Europe’s most exciting wide players, but it is not because of the number of goals he scores.
He is far more of a creative force than a scoring one. While he has six so far this season, the likelihood is Williams will not be putting in the numbers akin to that of Mohamed Salah, or the upward trend of goals seen by Saka, who reached 20 last season.
Saka and, hopefully, the new centre-forward will shoulder that burden. While the existing Arsenal talisman and potentially Williams can offer the service that most strikers can only dream of.
Williams recorded an impressive 16 assists last season and has seven this campaign, despite it being a more subdued year for the 22-year-old. This is where Williams will offer Arsenal the quality and a summer move would be quite the coup for the Gunners, especially considering his release clause in the region of £50million does not mean the new sporting director would break the bank to do so.
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