Arsenal Face Major Financial Hurdle in Pursuit of Nico Williams

Summer Ambition Meets Financial Reality

Arsenal’s interest in Nico Williams is nothing new. The North London club have tracked the explosive Spain winger for several windows. But according to The Telegraph, any hopes of landing the 22-year-old this summer now hinge on a deal that would elevate him to the very top of Arsenal’s wage structure — alongside the likes of Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, and Martin Ødegaard.

The reported salary demands? Around £250,000 per week.

While that figure might raise eyebrows for a player of Williams’ age, the unique context of Athletic Bilbao’s ‘Basque-only’ policy helps explain the numbers. The policy limits the club to fielding players native to or trained in the Basque Country, which naturally curtails their transfer activity and redirects focus towards lucrative wage deals to retain top local talent.

Athletic’s approach is almost an outlier in modern football. Since 2019, they’ve only spent around £24 million on transfers, with their record fee standing at just £27 million for Iñigo Martinez. That leaves them room to offer players like Williams post-tax wages well beyond £100,000 per week, a sum most clubs might hesitate to pay to someone still developing.

Arsenal’s Wage Bill Continues to Climb

Arsenal’s financial flexibility has already been stretched. The club posted a 40% increase in their wage bill for the 2023–24 season, hitting £328 million — a reflection of their aggressive squad-building strategy under Mikel Arteta. Renewals for stars like Saka and William Saliba are expected soon, further tightening the margins.

Now, with a big-money move for Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi also on the agenda (estimated at £50 million), and a new striker marked as a priority, the question becomes: can Arsenal really afford Nico Williams?

Yes, the release clause — thought to be around £50 million — is manageable. But it’s the weekly wage demands that ...