Arsenal, Barcelona & Chelsea learn Nico Williams’ salary demands

Any club wanting to sign Athletic Club winger Nico Williams this summer faces the prospect of making him one of their highest-earning players, a report has revealed.

Williams has long attracted interest from Europe’s elite sides and was heavily linked with a move away from Athletic last summer when his dazzling showing at Euro 2024 made his £50m release clause seem like an unmissable bargain.

The likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Barcelona all wanted Williams last summer but ultimately failed to convince him to leave his boyhood side. However, his stance is thought to have relaxed and an exit this year is possible.

The same suitors all remain interested and would likely have few issues triggering Williams’ release clause but, according to The Telegraph, the real complication will be meeting the 22-year-old’s demands over personal terms.

Because of Athletic’s unique transfer policy, which sees them only recruit players from the Basque region, they often hand out huge wages to their best players because replacing them in the transfer market is nearly impossible. Williams is thought to earn close to £200,000 per week already.

Williams’ representatives are looking for a contract which would reward the Spain international with a pay rise, potentially posing a huge problem to suitors looking to trim their wage budgets.

Chelsea’s approach to salaries sees them offer a lower-than-average base wage as part of a deal which includes significant potential to increase earnings through performance-related add-ons. Whether such a structure would appeal to Williams is unclear.

Barcelona may require a similar approach amid the uncertainty surrounding their salary cap, which was reduced by La Liga over concerns about the validity of their €100m sale of VIP boxes at the new Camp Nou. Dani Olmo will remain registered until the end of the season but doubts persist over Barcelona’s spending power this summer.

It was recently reported that Arsenal are leading the race to sign Williams. The Gunners are undoubtedly working with the most flexibility when it comes to salaries but are already facing an expensive summer which could see contract extensions for Bukayo Saka, William Saliba and Gabriel alongside the arrival of a new big-money striker.