Athletic Bilbao are hopeful of keeping Nico Williams despite transfer links with Arsenal and Barcelona.
The Spain winger has a contract with the Basque side, who qualified for the Champions League with a fourth-placed finish in LaLiga, until 2027.
However, he is said to have a release clause of around £50million, though his wage demands would significantly increase the total cost of a move for the 22-year-old.
And in an interview with El Correo, Athletic president Jon Uriarte expressed optimism around the prospect of keeping Williams for at least another season.
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“I believe we have a winning and interesting project for everyone, and Nico is part of that project, just like many other players,” Uriarte said.
“The project becomes easier if we keep our players – and I believe Nico and the rest of the squad have a very exciting year ahead.”
Williams scored 11 goals and recorded seven assists in the 2024-25 season as Athletic also reached the semi-finals of the Europa League in addition to their impressive LaLiga campaign.
The scorer of the opening goal in Spain’s 2-1 win over England in the Euro 2024 final, Williams could increase the attention around him when La Roja face France in the Nations League semi-final on Thursday.
