Liverpool might be concerned about Chelsea hijacking their plan to replace Mohamed Salah with Athletic Bilbao star Nico Williams in the summer. The highly-rated Williams is wanted by a host of top European teams ahead of the transfer window.
The Reds may lose star forward Salah in the summer, with interest from Saudi Arabia likely to reignite over the coming months. Liverpool turned down record bids for the Egyptian last summer but with only a year remaining on his contract, the Merseysiders will now not have so much power over his future.
If Salah does depart, attention will turn to landing a top-quality replacement for a player who has been the talisman of the Jurgen Klopp era. Michael Edwards, who has returned to Liverpool as FSG’s CEO of football, is said to favour Spain winger Williams.
The 21-year-old has attracted plenty of attention among Europe’s elite clubs with his performances in La Liga. He has scored six goals and provided 14 assists in all competitions this season, having penned a new contract with his current club at the end of the previous campaign.
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According to Spanish newspaper Diario AS, that deal includes a bargain £43million release clause which can be triggered by clubs in the summer. Liverpool and Chelsea are reportedly interested, along with Tottenham and Aston Villa.
Liverpool may fear Chelsea’s presence in that race the most given the Blues’ lavish spending in recent years. The west Londoners also need new additions in the final third having struggled for creativity and goals this season.
While Williams is right footed and is more of a creator than the out-and-out goalscorer that Salah has become, the 13-cap Spain international could be the ideal replacement for Salah. That is especially true if Ruben Amorim becomes Liverpool’s next manager, with the Portuguese tactician preferring a system that sees two wide men tucked inside behind a centre-forward.
Liverpool have been short of genuine wide options when Salah has been absent. Meanwhile, there remains uncertainty over the future of Luis Diaz who has been linked with Paris Saint-Germain.
Athletic legend Manuel Sarabia recently described Williams as: “A player appeared who is special, who has an incredible future”. He added: “The present is already outstanding.
“He can play in all kinds of tactics: with a team that retreats, because he has speed and dribbles very easily, and with a dominating team, because he comes out very well for both sides, from zero and on the run.”
Williams will have the pick of some top European teams in the summer. Liverpool will hope they can win the race for his signature.
