Arsenal 'join Liverpool in race for Athletic Bilbao's Nico Williams'

Arsenal are reportedly the latest team to show an interest in signing Athletic Bilbao attacker Nico Williams.

The 20-year-old has continued his breakthrough for the Basque club with a respectable set of numbers in the 2022-23 season, scoring seven goals and providing six assists in 27 games.

Williams's exploits earned him a place in Luis Enrique's Spain squad for the 2022 World Cup, and he played all four games in Qatar as La Roja suffered last-16 heartache to Morocco.

The attacker is only under contract with Athletic until the summer of 2024 and is being tipped to make the move to a Champions League club at the end of the season.

While Athletic are keen to agree fresh terms with Williams - who is the younger brother of teammate Inaki Williams - they could be pressed into a sale this summer if he does not renew.

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Liverpool and Aston Villa have both been linked with a move for Williams, and according to Calciomercato, Arsenal are the latest team to show an interest in his services.

The Gunners have been left short of cover for Bukayo Saka on the right-hand side for the second half of the season, with Nicolas Pepe and Marquinhos being loaned out to Nice and Norwich City respectively.

Reiss Nelson has endured an injury-hit season and is facing an uncertain future at the club, while Pepe is not expected to still be at the Emirates Stadium for the 2023-24 campaign.

As a result, Mikel Arteta could welcome competition and cover for Saka, who has often been the victim of rough treatment from opposing defenders throughout the campaign.

Williams left Osasuna's academy in 2013 to join Athletic, and the Spaniard has since made 69 senior appearances for the Basque team since coming through their youth ranks.

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Williams has a total of 10 goals and seven assists to show from his 69 games in an Athletic jersey, while he has one goal and one assist from seven appearances for the Spain national team.

However, Arsenal could be forced to fend off intense competition from Liverpool, who may be in the market for a replacement for Mohamed Salah at the end of the season.

The 30-year-old is due to become a free agent at the end of the 2024-25 season and is reportedly being eyed up by Paris Saint-Germain amid the Reds' struggles this term.

It had been speculated that Salah would be open to leaving Liverpool if they failed to qualify for the Champions League, but his agent has since rubbished those "nonsense" claims.