Chelsea is thinking about signing Nico Williams, a winger from Athletic Bilbao, in the upcoming summer. Williams has a contract with a release clause of about £43 million.
He’s been performing well this season in Spain, and Athletic Bilbao is getting ready for the possibility of him leaving.
While Chelsea is planning to sign a traditional No 9 (striker), they are considering a move for Williams as well. They have been looking at players like Victor Osimhen from Napoli, Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig, and Viktor Gyökeres from Sporting Lisbon for the No 9 position. Chelsea might face competition from Paris Saint-Germain for Osimhen.
Getting a top striker can be expensive, and Chelsea’s transfer budget depends on how much money they can raise from player sales. They have had difficulties filling this position in the past. Williams, although earning good wages, might not have an extremely high transfer fee. He can play on both the left and right flanks, but he usually operates more on the left wing.
In preparation for the potential departure of Williams, Athletic Bilbao has already secured a deal to sign Álvaro Djaló from Braga in the summer.
Chelsea has been using Raheem Sterling and Mykhailo Mudryk on the left side this season. While both players have been inconsistent, there hasn’t been any indication that Chelsea is looking to move either of them out. Sterling even turned down an opportunity to move to Saudi Arabia last summer. Chelsea is exploring options to strengthen their squad for the upcoming season.