It always looked to be an unlikely deal, with Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain heavily linked, but Nico Williams will not be an Arsenal player this summer. In fact it does not look like the winger will be moving anywhere.
Williams was one of the standout stars of Euro 2024 as Spain went all the way and lifted the trophy. In so doing, they became the first team to win the tournament having won all of their games.
“Williams would be an outstanding signing and a real statement of intent,” Wenham elaborated. Should Tottenham decide to invest approximately £58m million in acquiring Williams, Werner’s future with the club could be jeopardised.
Despite a somewhat tepid performance at RB Leipzig, Werner’s move to Tottenham on loan seemed like a fresh start. Initially, he demonstrated his capability by assisting and scoring in key matches against teams like Aston Villa and Crystal Palace. However, his overall impact remains a topic of debate among fans and pundits alike.
“If Spurs were to spend the money on Williams, that wouldn’t be good for Werner’s future at
Tottenham ,” Wenham speculated, indicating a possible shift in the club’s strategic focus. The implication is clear: Werner might be thanked for his contributions but ultimately sent packing to make financial and tactical room for Williams.
The Athletic Bilbao forward scored two and assisted one, with a goal in the final to break England hearts. Alongside Lamine Yamal, he was one of the players everyone was talking about during and subsequently after the competition ended.
Williams’ future has been a hot topic of conversation with Arsenal among a number of Premier League clubs to register an interest. Arsenal are in the market for a new forward this summer, with Williams’ profile thought to be perfect for Mikel Arteta’s plans.
However, Barcelona had looked favourites to sign the 22-year-old out of all the clubs mentioned, but the finances of the deal looked difficult for the Catalan club to do.
According to Sport in Spain, Williams had promised his brother Inaki that he would play one more season at Bilbao and that looks to be the case. According to journalist Daniel Sobis, who covers La Liga in Poland, Williams has decided to stay at Athletic Club for the upcoming 2024/25 season.
That is a blow to all those clubs keen on signing him this year, but if the promise of one more season is to be believed, there will be more speculation about Williams’ future next summer.
Arsenal could return in the summer of 2025 to sign the forward who will be 23 by then and have another year of experience in a top-five European league under his belt. His Bilbao contract runs until 2027 and a move next year could be the last time the Spanish side are able to get big-money for him.
Tottenham Hotspur have endured a disastrous start to their season, with injury concerns being one of the factors behind the slow progress in the initial games of the 2023/25 campaign, and summer signing Wilson Odobert has been one of the players serving sidelines for the Lilywhites.
Daniel Levy signed Wilson Odobert from Burnley in a €29.3 million deal last summer, with the French winger a preferred alternative to Nico Williams. And fair to say, the 19-year-old had put in some impressive e-performances for his new employers before his injury.
Odobert suffered an hamstring injury that has kept him out since being substituted in the 18th minute in the Lilywhites Carabao Cup clash against Coventry City last month.
And club insider Paul O’Keefe claims that the winger is expected to face an extended period on the sidelines, with another six weeks expected before his rehabilitation.
The injury continues to be cautious for the Lilywhites as they aim to have the former Burnley man back in full training after the international break.
Odobert’s fitness key to Tottenham’s success?
For Tottenham, the Frenchman has a unique skillset that the majority of the players don’t have in the dressing room at Hotspur Way, which makes his absence more damning. His return to full fitness would be a help to Ange Postecoglou on multiple fronts as the North Londoners look to go full throttle in the domestic as well as European competitions.
Moreover, the Lilywhites faithful would also want to have his flair on the wings once again, as it could prove difficult for the opponent’s defenders to deal with.
Do you think Odobert will help transform Ange Postecoglou’s side to another level? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
