Liverpool have shown a real interest in signing Athletic Club winger Nico Williams as ‘tricky’ attempts to keep him in Bilbao await.
That’s according to Spanish newspaper AS, who claim that Liverpool and Aston Villa have both looked into the winger’s situation.
Williams isn’t a new name for Villa fans; the Daily Mail reported in January that Villa were prepared to pay the £45million release clause in Williams’ contract.
However, the winger rejected Villa’s £120,000-a-week offer and decided to stay in Bilbao.
It’s stated that Williams currently ‘remains faithful’ to Athletic but he is out of contract in 2024 and keeping him is described as ‘tricky’.
Athletic may well need to sell inside the final 18 months of his contract with both Liverpool and Villa interested.
Who is Liverpool and Aston Villa target Nico Williams?
Williams was born in Pamplona and spent time in the ranks of Osasuna before heading to Athletic in 2013.
The winger has risen through the Athletic ranks, turning out for their development and reserve teams in Basconia and Bilbao Athletic.
Williams was handed his first-team debut in April 2021 and has now become a vital player for Athletic.
Now 20, Williams has made 20 La Liga appearances this season with three goals and four assists to his name.
A winger with blazing speed, Williams compares himself to Kylian Mbappe and has been terrorising defences in La Liga this season.
Capable of playing alongside brother Inaki Willians for Ghana, Nico has chosen to play for Spain and actually featured at the World Cup in Qatar.
Whether Liverpool really need another winger is up for debate, but one team we can seemingly rule out of the race is Newcastle United.
The Athletic reported that Newcastle had identified Williams as their second-choice target if their deal for Anthony Gordon failed.
That may open the door for Liverpool to swoop in, with Athletic in a rather difficult spot over their wonderkid wide man.
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