Chelsea ready to splash £43m on La Liga star as Blues face Barcelona, Liverpool competition

Chelsea are keen on adding to their winger options with Athletic Club star Nico Williams emerging as a front-runner for them in the transfer market.

Chelsea have signed many wingers in recent windows but it’s only Cole Palmer who’s been consistent since joining the club.

The likes of Noni Madueke, Raheem Sterling and Mykhaylo Mudryk have struggled to string together multiple good performances. There have been flashes of brilliance from them all but no way near as much as Palmer.

Now a higher standard has been set by Palmer, Chelsea are looking to bring in another level raiser who can provide competition for both wings and who they believe can have a similar level of impact.

According to reports from Spain (as cited by Caught Offside), Chelsea are willing to spend up to £43m to bring Athletic Club’s Williams to Stamford Bridge.

The Spanish dynamic winger can play on both the right and left wings. Williams possesses frightening pace and is completely ambipedal. The way he can strike the ball with so much power on either foot and also take on players in either direction is very impressive.

This season for Athletic Club, Williams has 6 goals and 14 assists in 30 games. He’s really staking a case to be Spain’s main winger in the Euros too and has emerged as a pivotal player for how Athletic Club want to play.

As wingers go, he has a good blend of everything you’d want in a modern-day option. Williams loves to run in behind and has excellent dribbling in tight areas.

From Chelsea’s point of view, apart from Mudryk, they don’t have anyone nearly as quick as him or as direct. But Mudryk isn’t favoured at the club right now so Williams would come in to compete with him.

READ MORE: Chelsea transfers: Huge Boehly signing risks losing spot with coaches in agreement over poor spell

Chelsea face competition for his signature

Williams has been a hugely influential player for Athletic Club this season in their push for Champions League football and even their Copa Del Rey win last weekend.

Nico was the man of the match for the final getting the assist for Oihan Sancet’s goal to take the game to extra time. It was an emotional win for Williams which he shared with his brother and teammate Inaki Williams as they had won their first trophy together.

In December, Williams signed a new contract with Bilbao to keep him at the club until 2027. Within this contract though, is a £43million release clause.

There are many clubs interested in paying that such as Barcelona, Liverpool, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Tottenham. So if Chelsea are to go all out for Williams they’ll have a lot of competition and will need to do some convincing.

DON’T MISS: Tottenham, Barcelona battle for ‘immense’ forward erupts amid ‘bargain’ fee; Arsenal, Liverpool to miss out