Arsenal ready to sign dazzling upgrade for Brazilian with Arteta making global phenom his top 2025 target

Mikel Arteta has big plans to sign a big-name replacement for Gabriel Martinelli in 2025 with the Arsenal boss strong casting his eyes to a global superstar as an upgrade, a trusted journalist has revealed.

The Brazilian winger has been a solid performer for the Gunners over the years, with the 23-year-old playing his part in 65 goals (41 goals and 24 assists) in 177 appearances for Arsenal since signing for a bargain €7.1m (£6m / $7.9m) from Ituano in 2019. However, he’s form has dropped a little in recent times with the winger yet to get off the mark this season, while in the previous campaign he only managed 10-goal contributions (six goals and four assists) over 35 games.

And while Arteta and Co did manage to sign a new winger on transfer deadline day in Raheem Sterling – the 82-times capped England winger arriving on a season’s loan deal from Chelsea – his long-term future remains shrouded in doubt and wholly dependent on his performances over the coming season.

Not everyone is impressed with the capture of Sterling, either, with one club icon branding the player a ‘panic buy’.

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Further down the line, though, it’s claimed Arteta is setting his sights on an even bigger name upgrade in the form of Athletic Club superstar Nico Williams.

The Spain star illustrated to the watching world what a supreme talent he is this summer with a starring role – including a goal in the final against England – as Spain won seven out of seven games to win Euro 2024.

Arsenal plans to sign Nico Williams confirmed by journalist

Having attracted strong interest from Barcelona over the summer, the Blaugrana were forced to step away from the deal when it emerged that the €58m clause in his contract had to be paid in full and from the off to trigger his transfer.

The LaLiga giants remain keen on a future deal, though with major financial issues to address, they will need to get creative if they are to pull off a deal for the 22-year-old.

It has since been claimed that Real Madrid have also earmarked the Athletic Bilbao man as a future target, if Los Blancos decide to cash in on Brazilian star Vinicius Jnr.

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However, the strongest interest of all could come from Arsenal, with the Gunners understood to have considered the finances around a potential move this summer, before deciding against the move and having been gifted a gilt-edged chance to sign Sterling on the cheap instead.

Arsenal, though, very much have Williams on their wishlist for 2025 and journalist Ben Jacobs claims the winger, who scored eight times and added 19 assists last season from 37 appearances, will figure very strongly in their upcoming transfer plans.

“Arsenal are looking for two things in wide areas. Number one – a left-sided winger or forward, who can be a regular starter and can contribute goals and assists,” Jacobs told Givemesport.

“[Raheem] Sterling could be one option, but of course, Nico Williams is another that has been on their radar for quite some time. The terms of that deal just need to be more affordable if Arsenal are to pull the trigger, but they want a starter on the left-hand side.

“Sterling either has to show that he can compete and/or supplant [Gabriel] Martinelli – or Arsenal in a year’s time may strengthen in that position with a younger name, or somebody that can actually be above Martinelli in the pecking order, at least on paper.

“Then, the other thing they want to do is have more of a squad player or a backup to Bukayo Saka, to alleviate his burden.”

TEAMtalk understands that Arsenal will look to position themselves at the front of the queue for Williams next summer if indeed the player makes clear his wish to leave Bilbao.