Aston Villa could be in for another busy summer in the transfer window, with sources providing an update on the club’s interest in Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams.
Unai Emery conducted a strong summer transfer window at Aston Villa in 2023 and it now looks as though history could repeat itself, with the Villans said to be leading the race for one European star.
Welcoming Pau Torres, Youri Tielemans, Moussa Diaby, Clement Lenglet and Nicolo Zaniolo last summer significantly bolstered the depth on show at Villa Park, and now further star reinforcements could be called upon.
One target that Villa missed out on was Athletic Bilbao sensation Nico Williams, who was said to be of interest to a host of Premier League clubs due to the situation with his contract at his boyhood club.
What has been said about Nico Williams to Aston Villa
The Midlands club may not have struck a deal for the 21-year-old in the summer, however, an encouraging update has suggested that Villa are leading the race to sign the Spaniard.
As reported by journalist Dean Jones via Sports Lens this week, the Villans are making the most significant progress in the bid to lure the highly-rated forward to the Premier League.
Jones explained that Villa have ‘made the most headway’ concerning the understanding of what terms it may take to sign Williams, adding that the player is thought of as having the ‘perfect’ profile for Emery’s squad.
The report touches upon the £43m release clause currently in place in the Spain international’s deal at Bilbao, with Villa not alone in being a Premier League club motivated to cash in on the youngster.
Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Arsenal are mentioned alongside Emery’s club, with the race truly on to claim the signature of the left-winger.
Why Nico Williams is attracting interest from Aston Villa
Taking to Twitter, Spanish football expert Neal Gardner waxed lyrical over Williams, calling him an “extremely powerful” and “outstanding” asset to have on the flank.
The praise is substantiated by the 21-year-old’s statistics in La Liga this season, averaging 3.38 successful take-ons per 90, which is more than the likes of Kylian Mbappe, who records an average of 2.64 per 90 in Ligue 1, via FBref.
Predominantly deployed on the left wing, the Athletic Bilbao star’s future movements will be something to keep a close eye on from a Villa perspective, with the forward showing glimpses of just how dangerous he could be under Emery.
