Athletic Bilbao ace Nico Williams admits he is flattered by reports suggesting that he is a target for Premier League giants Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and Liverpool.
As Aston Villa discovered over the summer, Nico Williams will take some convincing.
Villa offered the Spain international a cool £115,000-a-week after triggering the £43 million release clause in his Athletic Club contract. Williams opted to stay put at the time and, with Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur now throwing their respective hats into the ring, Villa will not be short of high-level competition should they renew their interest in January (90Min).
Aston Villa missed out last summer
“That big teams like Barca, Madrid or clubs in England are watching me means that I am doing my job well,” the speedy Spain international now tells Sport.
“I am clear about the decision I want to make. But, in the end, this is something that my representatives have (to deal with).
“(My agents) have been with me since I was 11 years old. And there are my parents, my brother… We’ll see, but I’m very calm and I want to stay that way.”
Williams’ Athletic contract expires in less than 12 months’ time. According to his agent, Felix Tainta, negotiations over a new deal at San Mames have stalled too, meaning Athletic may be forced to listen to offers in the winter for a throwback of a winger who models his game on the likes of Moussa Dembele and Kylian Mbappe.
‘Practically unstoppable’
“Physically I am a bit superior. Even though I am eight years older than him, in the 100 meters I still give him a cramp!” quips Inaki Williams, Nico’s elder sibling and his Athletic team-mate. “(But) in one-on-ones, however, he is practically unstoppable.
“(His rise) is incredible. He is showing that he is (improving), he is gaining experience. In front of goal, he is improving a lot. He is a talent, a rough diamond that needs to be polished. He has a lot of room for improvement and hopefully he can continue to improve.”
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