Nico Williams’ contract with Athletic Bilbao includes a reported £49million termination clause.
Reports suggest that Aston Villa is in talks to sign the in-demand winger Nico Williams.
Newcastle United is among several Premier League teams interested in the Spain’s top scorer, who scored the winning goal in the Euro 2024 final against England. Athletic Bilbao are keen to retain Williams but are at a disadvantage should another club trigger his £49million termination clause.
The club’s president, Jon Uriate, expressed his wish to retain Williams last week. He stated: “Nico, a player dedicated to Athletic, has been bombarded with numerous inquiries about his future at the European Championships in an overwhelming and uncontrolled manner.
“Respect among all parties involved in football is a core principle at Athletic, which includes not subjecting players with contracts to public pressure to switch clubs. There are no boundaries to what Athletic aims to achieve.
“We are showing that we have a compelling offer, a successful project for our players and coach. Athletic is financially, socially, and in terms of sports, capable of retaining players of the caliber mentioned in its roster, including Nico.”
However, TeamTalk suggests that Villa is ready to make a move on Williams before the summer, with Moussa Diaby, the record signing from last summer, rumored to be close to joining the Saudi Pro League.
This would create an opportunity for Williams to move to Villa Park, with Unai Emery’s team also offering him a spot in the Champions League. As for Newcastle, they are still interested in signing a right-sided forward, though Williams prefers to play on the left.
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