Man Utd to ‘RUIN’ Arsenal’s Nico Williams transfer

Arsenal might be well placed to sign Nico Williams from Athletic Club, but Manchester United are in position to swoop for their Europa League rival while strong interest has also emerged from Bayern Munich.

Prior to Man Utd defeating Real Sociedad 4-1 at Old Trafford, Nico fired the Basque side to victory over Roma, setting up a quarter-final encounter with Rangers.

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But even before that decisive contribution against the Serie A giants, the 22-year-old had caught the eye of Red Devils owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

Until now, Arsenal had appeared to be in pole position to sign the Spain international winger, who they tried unsuccessfully to capture last summer. At that point, Barcelona looked the player’s likeliest destination, but the explosion of form in Raphinha means he is no longer being considered as a priority by the Camp Nou side.

Nico remains high on Mikel Arteta’s shortlist, though. Arsenal want to increase both the depth and quality of their wide attacking options, and the Basque would allow them to do both.

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Nico Williams: Man Utd could become a credible destination

What once appeared a deal in Arsenal’s hands looks increasingly complicated because of Man Utd’s interest.

With Nico available for just €58 million due to the release clause in his Athletic contract, which runs until 2027, it is likely the Old Trafford side will be able to afford him.

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If United go all the way in the Europa League, they will also have the lure of Champions League football – something that previously looked unthinkable due to their poor domestic form.

One potential stumbling block for the Red Devils is the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR). Head coach Ruben Amorim has already admitted that sales will need to be completed before they can buy, with the deadline of 30 June to pull a profit looming large.

United have struggled to move on their big-ticket players so Arsenal still appear to be favourites to sign Nico Williams, but the threat from Old Trafford is suddenly a real one.

Interest from Bayern emerges

Arguably a greater immediate threat comes from Bayern, with Bild reporting that the Bundesliga side are interest in the forward.

Arsenal, meanwhile, are willing to bid above Nico’s release clause to secure a deal, FootballTransfers understands.

This is not a particularly dramatic strategy given that Nico’s Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) sits at €71.2m, meaning that he could be seen as a transfer bargain at even 20% more than his buyout fee.