Chelsea contact £48m forward who Arsenal held talks with in last few days

Chelsea are in contact with the representatives of a forward who Arsenal have met with in the last few days, and it appears the Premier League rival duo are in a hotly-contested race for his signature.

Chelsea set sights on signing new winger for Enzo Maresca
Alongside the host of outgoing transfers expected to take place at Stamford Bridge this summer, Enzo Maresca is reportedly looking to add a quality new wide player to his roster.

Uncertainty surrounds Mykhailo Mudryk’s long-term future after a failed drugs test, while Noni Madueke is attracting interest from Newcastle and Aston Villa. It also isn’t a forgone conclusion that Chelsea sign Jadon Sancho from Man United permanently, so BlueCo are understandably looking at other options.

Jamie Gittens (Borussia Dortmund), Antoine Semenyo (Bristol City), Kenan Yildiz (Juventus) and Yeremay Hernandez (Malaga) are among the wingers being targeted by Chelsea ahead of the summer window, according to journalist Simon Phillips. However, as per the reporter and other media sources, one name stands out among them.

£200,000-per-week Athletic Bilbao starlet Nico Williams is at the centre of keen interest from Chelsea, following a sensational 2024 for the exciting Spain starlet.

The 22-year-old chalked up 19 assists in all competitions last season and helped his national team to European Championship glory, with The Guardian’s Ed Aarons reporting that Williams is expected to push for a summer exit.

His contract includes a £48 million release clause as well, which would be affordable from a Chelsea perspective, but the major obstacle lies in his extortionate wage demands, rumoured to be around £300,000-per-week.

It is believed Williams is a top target for Chelsea heading into the summer, but they face stiff competition from Arsenal. Their new sporting director, Andrea Berta, met with the representatives of Bilbao’s sensation in the last few days (Foot Mercato), with the Gunners attempting to steal a march on their London neighbours.