Premier League giants Arsenal and Chelsea have suffered a massive blow in their pursuit of Athletic Club forward Nico Williams.

According to a report from Give Me Sport, Nico Williams is considering penning a new deal at Athletic Club, and it is a massive blow for Arsenal and Chelsea, who are very keen on signing the Spanish international as they look to reinforce their offensive units.

Williams has come up the ranks at the Spanish club, and he has been a part of their first team since 2021. He has gone on to establish himself as a key figure in the team, and his sensational rise has caught the attention of quite a few top clubs.

Multiple top clubs wanted to sign the 22-year-old last summer on the back of an impressive season with Athletic Club, and his heroics at Euro 2024 for Spain. But he decided to continue at his childhood club.

The Spanish international has had another impressive season with 18 goal contributions in his 45 outings and once again, clubs are keen on prising him away from the Spanish club. With Nico Williams entering the final two years of his deal, Chelsea and Arsenal are pushing to sign him this summer.

English giants want Williams

With Jadon Sancho returning to his parent club and Mykhailo Mudryk serving a ban, the Blues need a top-quality winger, and Nico Williams is very high on their wishlist. He is an ideal fit for their project, which revolves around signing the best young winger.

Meanwhile, Arsenal are looking for more quality on the left flank, and Andre Berta is working hard to address that issue. They are serious admirers of Williams and believe he could help them take the next step.

While Chelsea and Arsenal are keen on signing the 22-year-old, who has a release clause worth around £50  million, they have received a blow in their pursuit. They could miss out on him as the Spanish international has refused to rule out the possibility of signing a new long-term deal.

Nico Williams could sign a new deal

The Spaniard could choose to agree on fresh terms with his childhood club rather than embarking on a new challenge. Athletic Club have already initiated talks with his camp as they look to secure his future and increase his release clause significantly, which will further complicate things for Arsenal and Chelsea.

Nico Williams is in no rush to decide on his future, and he in a way has forced the London clubs to play the waiting game. If the Spanish international decides to continue at Athletic Club, he could end up earning close to £8.5 million per year but it will also result in a more lucrative release clause. While discussions are not yet at an advanced stage, it is certainly a blow for the interested clubs.