Arsenal get big transfer boost over £54m star as Barcelona 'look at alternatives'

Arsenal could have a clear path to sign Spanish star Nico Williams as Barcelona’s pursuit has reportedly stalled.

Both clubs have shown interest in the winger over the past season, with Arsenal particularly keen last summer, but instead opted for a more affordable deal for Raheem Sterling from Chelsea on loan.

However, the opportunity to sign Williams may soon present itself again for the Gunners. The 22-year-old has a £54.2million release clause in his contract, which both Arsenal and Barcelona could potentially activate.

However, Williams’ wage demands of around £7.5m to £8.3m per season are reportedly too steep for Barcelona. According to Diario Sport, they are now exploring other options, including Napoli star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

This could leave Arsenal with an unobstructed path to Williams – who scored eight goals and provided 19 assists last season and has already scored two goals and created two assists this season.

Barcelona chief Deco has previously expressed interest in Williams, stating: “Nico is a player who, yes, we were interested in during the summer. We tried to bring him in, but from there, the player made a decision, and life goes on.

“We brought in Dani Olmo, who was our priority because we didn’t have that type of player in our squad. The idea with Nico was to add more competition upfront, because we wanted high-level competition, but once the player shows no interest in coming, there’s no further discussion.”

Meanwhile, Barcelona presidential hopeful Victor Font has criticised current chief Joan Laporta for misleading fans regarding a deal for the Spanish forward.

In an interview with The Athletic, Font expressed his frustration: “I wish we could sign Nico Williams because that’s what we need. The president has said that it is possible, but that is not true. Today it cannot be done. We hope that it will be possible tomorrow. But today, it is not.

“The members want to dream and believe what they tell us. The problem is that they have been telling us for three summers that everything is fine, that we will sign players and that everything is resolved. With each passing year, credibility falls. And this summer, if promises are not kept, credibility will fall even more.”