Mikel Arteta wanted Williams at Arsenal, a player whose reputation skyrocketed at the Euros, playing a vital role in Spain winning another major honour.
For all watching it was obvious why Williams would excel at Arsenal, one of very few talents in Europe who could definitely displace Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli on the left.
And although Arsenal have been applauded for signing Raheem Sterling by the likes of Alan Shearer, some of the club’s supporters may still have a feeling of ‘what if’.
That being said, Williams, who had a £50m release clause this summer, seemed very certain in his own decision over the past month or so amid links to Barcelona and Arsenal.
Arsenal target Nico Williams says he received ‘many approaches’ this summer
Speaking via Spanish outlet Sport, Williams stated that he never actually wanted to leave Athletic Club for one moment it seems, a team he still wants to achieve a lot with.
The Spain winger was open-ended about his future beyond this current season, but does seem incredibly settled for now, which is likely why Arsenal didn’t push their interest.
Nico Williams of Athletic Club competes for the ball with Jose Maria Gimenez of Atletico de Madrid during the LaLiga EA Sports match between Athlet...
Williams said: “It’s always good when big teams have your name on their agenda, but I always knew that I wanted to be here and stay here, with a lot of hope of being able to do things well for this club.
“That is a matter for my agent. There were many approaches from many clubs. The Euros were a showcase but my heart is with Athletic and I wanted to stay here.”
Williams then added: “Nobody knows what will happen in the future.”
“I am very excited about this season in which we [Athletic] return to Europe after six years and this was one of the reasons for being able to stay here.”
Edu could revive Benjmain Sesko and Nico Williams interest next summer
All in all, when you consider the fees that Arsenal have recouped for the players they’ve sold, the club have enjoyed a very sustainable summer from a PSR perspective.
It seemed that Arsenal had more money to spend, but preferred to stay cautious given the right targets weren’t available.
And perhaps Edu may be preparing for a hugely ambitious summer next time around, when he may revive interest in both Williams and Benjamin Sesko.
Arsenal are still tracking Sesko after failing to bring him to the club earlier this summer, and that really would be a double-signing worth waiting for.
Of course, there’s a ton of football to be played before we reach that point, and as with Kai Havertz’s trajectory last season, a lot can still change.
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