Nico Williams agreement ‘closer than ever’: Arsenal target gets INCREDIBLE contract

Robin Bairner

10 Apr 2025 08:17 BST
3 min read

Nico Williams, Athletic Club, 2024/25 — © IMAGO

Nico Williams is ready to take a big decision over his future as interest from the Premier League, and particularly Arsenal, builds ahead of the summer transfer window.

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The Athletic Club ace has been made the priority signing for new Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta and is available for a bargain fee of just €58 million due to the release clause he has in his current contract.

Current ETV

Nico Williams

M (L)

Athletic

Nico Williams

M (L)

Athletic

ETV Range

€63.5M - €77.7M

The Gunners could be scuppered in their attempts to land the Spain star, who is weighing up an alternative contract proposal that would see him tied down to a lucrative “lifetime” contract.

According to Tele Bilbao (via Estadio Deportivo), Nico Williams is “closer than ever” to agreeing to stay with Athletic, where he has been offered a contract that will torpedo Arsenal’s chances of signing him for good.

Not only will this deal see the 22-year-old commit himself to the club until potentially the end of his career, but it will offer Athletic protection as he will get a buy-out clause that “no team can afford to pay”.

© IMAGO - Nico Williams: Ready to stay in Bilbao?

Nico Williams: End of the transfer rumours?

By doing this, the Basques are seeking to draw a line under any transfer speculation surrounding Nico Williams, who has been followed by rumours for more than a year.

Last summer, for instance, he turned down the chance to move to Barcelona, Arsenal and Chelsea.

FootballTransfers revealed that the Gunners are favourites to sign Nico this summer because of their financial strength, yet the pull of Athletic to Nico is something deeper than money.

Speaking to France Football in March, he explained: “This relationship we have at the heart of the club is incredible. Everyone respects everyone else, which is incredible. This atmosphere, I’ll never have it anywhere else. I decided to stay because of that. I took the decision I thought was the right one. I’m happy and I’m trying to do my best.”

Nico is also well paid with Athletic Club, who continue with their tradition of only fielding Basque players. For this reason, they are very protective of the stars in their ranks and pay them top dollar. And it appears that all this could be enough to see off Arsenal once again.