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It is set to be a busy few months with Nico Williams at the centre of the rumour whirlwind. After his contract renewal with Athletic until 2027, the interest of clubs like Arsenal and Aston Villa was put to bed, but his affordable release clause of €50 million and his sensational form in northern Spain means that the beady eyes of the Premier League have not moved away.

The LaLiga winger is now in the sights of Chelsea as the London club begin to plan their movements for the upcoming summer market which will undoubtedly see plenty of big moves shake the squads of Europe’s elite.

Which players do Chelsea want to sign in summer?

Chelsea’s priority is a striker, with Osimhen (Napoli) and Sesko (Leipzig) among their main targets, although another forward is not out of the question. Now, British media outlet The Telegraph have reported that the team currently led by Mauricio Pochettino are also keen on bringing in Nico Williams from Athletic.

Given Chelsea’s financial position (not to mention their pending FA investigation) and the large outlay we have seen from the London club over the past few seasons, bringing in a player without selling beforehand is more or less impossible. Nico’s release clause, however, would not be an issue for the side; his wages sit at around €4 million per year, meaning that he would be one of Chelsea’s highest earners.

In any case, Nico, who has 6 goals and 11 assists so far this season, has no plans to move right now and still has dreams of playing in red and white stripes in a European competition. But the fact that he signed a relatively short contract in December with a release clause not out of the reach of Europe’s top financial muscle shows that his ambitions perhaps extend further than the Basque Country, something which his natural talent certainly gives him the opportunity to do.

His possible arrival asks questions about players such as Sterling and Mudryk at Chelsea, as Poechttino is said to be a huge admirer of the Basque winger. Djaló was recently signed from Sporting Braga for a fee of €15 million, meaning that Athletic have covered their backs if indeed the younger Williams brother sees his future outside of Bilbao.