Liverpool battle Aston Villa for potential La Liga freebie, with attacker ‘tempted’ by both clubs

Athletic Club winger Nico Williams is a target for teams like Liverpool and Aston Villa, according to reports in Spain.

Williams is in the final year of his contract in Bilbao, so could be available on a free transfer in 2024. Across 96 appearances for Athletic so far, the attacker has displayed his potential, which may earn him an attractive move if he does not renew his stay in the Basque Country.

Various Premier League clubs have been linked with Williams, but according to AS, the two that have ‘tempted’ him are Liverpool and Aston Villa.

He is also apparently intrigued by interest from Barcelona, whose rivals Real Madrid are also keeping tabs on the situation.

However, Mikel Gonzalez, who is Athletic’s sporting director, believes Williams may yet continue in Bilbao.

Gonzalez told DAZN before Athletic’s 1-1 draw at Girona on Monday, in which Williams started: “There is a lot of noise around Nico, who is young and who is a starter in the national team and we see him very happy in Athletic, for him and his surroundings, and very focused.

“The normal thing is that everything ends well if the club and the player want him to stay.”

Like his older brother Inaki, Nico Williams came through the youth system at Athletic before blossoming into a first-team regular.

So far this season, he has contributed seven assists and one goal from 11 La Liga appearances.

Most of his game time has come on the left wing, but he is capable of playing on the other flank too.

At international level, Williams – who made his senior Spain debut last September – has earned 11 caps so far and scored two goals.

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He is yet to play in a continental tournament at club level, though, which would make a move to Liverpool or Aston Villa a step up, since they are in the Europa League and Europa Conference League respectively this season.

Alternatively, Barcelona or Real Madrid could keep him in La Liga and offer him a platform in the Champions League too.

Williams waiting for renewal offer

Still only 21 years old, Williams has plenty of time ahead in his career to test himself at a higher level, but his future is up for grabs.

A couple of weeks ago, his agent Felix Tainta hinted to El Correo that Williams might want to stay at his current club, but they are yet to make an offer.

“In a few months the contract ends, let’s not forget,” Tainta said.

“There is no definitive offer from the club or the player, there would be more to do, in any case it would be the other way around, which is not the case either, that whoever has to decide his future is the player.

“It is a negotiation and a future approach between the two parties.

“If we talk about a definitive offer or pressure is applied, things are going badly. I don’t know who can filter that and the purpose that it has, but if that is the case I would say that it is wrong…

“The club knows what the player’s approach is, which is what he wants. There is no definitive offer from either party.

“The club must listen to the player and must try to reach an agreement that is good for both parties, always starting from the basis that the contract ends in a few months, that it will not be ‘forget us’.”

Williams’ current contract contains a €50m (£43.3m) release clause, although whether anyone would pay that in January knowing they could get him for free instead half a year later remains to be seen.

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