Arteta begs Berta to sign £67m winger for Arsenal after ‘extraordinary’ midfielder agrees move

Mikel Arteta and Nico Williams, Arsenal

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is reportedly “desperate” for Nico Williams to move to the Emirates Stadium, with the report also revealing the Gunners’ stance on a potential bid for Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes.

While Arsenal are having a good season and will be pleased with themselves even if they end up second in the Premier League, the north London club are already planning for the future. The Gunners, who have reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League, are actively on the hunt for a new striker, with sources telling TEAMtalk that Newcastle star Alexander Isak and RB Leipzig ace Benjamin Sesko are among their top priorities.

Arsenal are also keen on a deal for Nico Williams, with a report revealing just how “desperate” Gunners boss Arteta is to work with the Athletic Bilbao winger.

According to Football Transfers, Arteta has “made it clear” to incoming sporting director Andrea Berta that he has to complete a deal for Williams in the summer transfer window.

“Arteta is desperate to bring in the Athletic Club winger and wants Berta to utilise his Spanish connections to finally convince the player of a move to the Premier League,” adds the report.

Football Transfers has noted that the value of the release clause in Williams’s contract at Bilbao is between €55million (£46m, $60m) and €60million (£50.5m, $65m)

Bild journalist Christian Falk has also reported Arsenal’s interest in the 22-year-old Spain international winger, adding that Bayern Munich are keen on him too.

According to Falk on X, the release clause could be as high as €80million (£67.2m, $87m).

Martin Zubimendi is another player that Arsenal want to sign in the summer transfer window, with TEAMtalk’s transfer correspondent Ben Jacobs reporting on February 19 that “a broad set of personal terms have been verbally agreed upon in terms of wage and bonus structure”.

Football Transfers has now claimed that the Real Sociedad midfielder has agreed to join the Gunners.

“Talks with Zubimendi and Real Sociedad are at an advanced stage and the player has agreed to make the move,” states the report about the midfielder, who was described as “extraordinary” by Barcelona legend Xavi in May 2023.

Guimaraes is one of the best midfielders in the Premier League and is also a regular in the Brazil squad.

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However, according to Football Transfers, while Arsenal do admire Guimaraes, they are not planning to make a bid for him in the summer transfer window.

It was former Arsenal Sporting Director Edu who was driving the north London club’s interest in his Brazilian compatriot.

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Arsenal will take on Real Madrid in the quarter-finals of the Champions League this season.

Looking ahead to the tie, Arsenal legend Thierry Henry said:“Believe that you can. I’ve been in that situation with a team with a tiny bit less talent I will be honest when we drew Real Madrid everyone laughed, especially in Spain.

“If you there believing you cannot beat Real Madrid and they are already better than you, better team, better squad, they have 15 on the sleeve and we have none, you may as well not go and play if you don’t think you can beat them.

“If you arrive in front of Real Madrid thinking let’s see what’s going to happen you might as well not go. I do believe that you go into a game believing you can win this is what dreams are made of this is what you are thinking of.

“I’ve seen Greece winning the Euros, I’ve seen Leicester winning the league just believe that you can that’s what I’m saying. Are you going to do it? That’s a different ball game.

“Look at how Atletico beat them they played them more than well so many times and it still wasn’t enough. I’ve seen City play Real Madrid so many times, so well and it still wasn’t enough.

“If you go there without the belief you can win stay at home. We’ve seen teams being good defensively, offensively, not in the tunnel, to beat Real Madrid you need the perfect game from minute one right when the referee blows the whistle.

It has to be the perfect game if you want to knock out Real Madrid. Even if you are perfect it might not be enough, now it’s on the team to show if they can do it at home and then away that’s a tough task.”

The north London outfit admire the Sporting CP striker, but they do not want to pay his release clause of €100million (£83.6m, $105.1m).