There has just been an interesting development regarding Chelsea’s potential interest in signing Athletic Bilbao star Nico Williams.
The Blues appear to be at the centre of the transfer rumour mill ahead of the upcoming summer window.
It’s been claimed that Chelsea could target four key new signings to improve their squad for next season, including a right-footed winger. Athletic winger Nico Williams, 22, certainly ticks a lot of boxes as a high-profile individual linked with a move to Stamford Bridge.
Reports in March claimed that Chelsea started discussions about signing Williams, who’s got a £50m release clause in his current contract. However, Williams’ representatives are demanding more than £400,000-a-week amid transfer interest from Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal.
Journalist Simon Phillips reported via Substack on Thursday that Chelsea have contacted the Williams camp again to discuss a potential summer deal.
Apparently, the Blues’ transfer budget has been helped by securing Champions League qualification on the final day of the Premier League season.
Chelsea are now enquiring to learn the full conditions of Williams’ wages for a potential transfer.
The Bilbao attacker, who plays on the left wing, would be the type of summer signing to really excite the fanbase at Stamford Bridge. However, it sounds like there is still a lot of work to do to sign him despite the latest development.
| Competition | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| La Liga | 29 | 5 | 5 |
| Europa League | 13 | 5 | 2 |
| Copa del Rey | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Supercup | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Chelsea will receive a large payout after clinching Champions League qualification for the 2025/26 campaign.
On top of the obvious financial benefits, we think that the offer of Champions League football next year should help attract the best in the transfer market.
Marc Cucurella previously raved about Nico Williams
If Chelsea want any extra information on Williams, they should ask their left-back Marc Cucurella about the Athletic winger.
At Euro 2024, Cucurella and Williams combined superbly well down the left flank for Spain, eventually winning the international tournament by beating England in the final.
Interestingly, Cucurella once described Spain teammate Williams as a player with “bags of talent” and said they clicked on the football pitch.
The Chelsea full-back told EURO2024.com in July 2024: “We had an immediate connection. We practically don’t talk about football off the pitch at all. Nico’s a happy-go-lucky guy and so am I, so our personalities clicked – it’s happened without us trying. During matches, I tell him to do as he pleases because, with these top players who have bags of talent, it’s important that they feel at ease.”
While we’re sceptical about the chances of Williams actually ending up at Chelsea, it’s exciting to think about what damage they would cause down the left-hand side of the pitch in the same club team.
