Barcelona Summer Signing Puts Arsenal Back To Square One

Nico Williams had been linked with a transfer to Arsenal for a long time. Indeed, the Gunners were believed to be a long-term admirer of the Spanish international who would have given last season’s Premier League’s runners-up a different dimension on the left wing. Instead, though, Williams appears to be on his way to Barcelona.

Recent reports claim the Spanish champions have agreed personal terms with the Athletic Club player and plan on activating his €60m release clause in the coming weeks. Williams will improve Barca’s attack when the Catalans already boasted the most potential frontline in the Spanish game. This will make Barcelona even scarier.

For Arsenal, though, this puts the North London club back to square in its efforts to upgrade its attack. Williams would have given the Gunners creativity creativity in the final third while also fitting the age profile of Mikel Arteta’s squad. Now, Arsenal will have to look elsewhere. It might not find the same value in another target.

Of course, much of the summer speculation around Arsenal concerns the search for a new number nine. Reports claim Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko are both seen as viable options with the club proceeding with negotiations for both players. At some point, Arsenal will make a call on which centre forward it wants to sign for the 2025/26 season.

There is also a need for a new left winger as well. Gabriel Martinelli has missed too much of the last two seasons through injury and isn’t clinical enough in the attacking third even when he is on the pitch. The Brazilian hasn’t developed as Arsenal must have hoped when he first broke through as a first team figure a number of seasons ago.

At present, Arsenal is lopsided. It funnels the majority of its play through Bukayo Saka on the right when he is the most reliable attacking threat on the pitch. This is detrimental to the balance of the team, and also to Saka who increasingly finds he needs to beat two or three opponents to make something happen.

The addition of a top-level attacker on the left side would draw some of the attention away from Saka and open up more space for Arsenal in the final third of the pitch. The logic is surely shared by Arteta and the decision makers at the Emirates Stadium who reportedly wanted Williams. Now, they must find someone else to give them what they require in the summer transfer window.