Liverpool Target Nico Williams as Salah Successor

The names keep looping around Liverpool’s transfer rumour mill, and one of them refuses to go away. Nico Williams is back on the agenda.

The World Cup winner, long linked with a move away from Athletic Club, has re-emerged on Liverpool’s shortlist as the club continue the daunting task of finding a long-term replacement for Mohamed Salah.

PSG’s Bradley Barcola remains the headline target, the one Liverpool are understood to be pushing hardest for. But the door to Williams has never quite closed. It’s been left on the latch, and now it’s creaking open again.

Arsenal Push Ahead, Liverpool Watch Closely

Transfer reporter Ekrem Konur claims Liverpool have renewed their interest in the 24-year-old, but they are not dictating the pace of this race.

“Liverpool are interested in Nico Williams, but Arsenal’s pursuit is currently more advanced,” he said on X, outlining the current state of play. Arsenal, he added, have made fresh contact over the winger, while sporting director Andrea Berta assesses whether a deal is realistic.

The key figure is no secret. Williams’ contract runs until 2035 but contains a £77m release clause, a sum that several Premier League clubs, Arsenal included, can afford if they decide he is the right fit.

Liverpool, then, are hovering rather than hammering on the door. But their interest makes sense.

Why Williams Fits the Liverpool Profile

For a spell, Williams looked like one of the most coveted young wide forwards in Europe. Barcelona appeared ready to pounce last summer before the Basque-born winger stunned many by signing a ten-year deal to stay at Athletic Club.

That contract, though, came with the release clause that now hangs over every discussion about his future.

On the pitch, his 2023/24 season was the one that really pushed him into the wider spotlight. Williams delivered 18 direct goal involvements in 31 league appearances for Athletic Club, then carried that form into the international arena with a standout role in Spain’s EURO 2024 triumph. He looked fearless, direct, and devastating in space.

Since that peak, the numbers have cooled. Across his last two league campaigns, he has produced ten goal involvements: 5 goals and 5 assists in 2024/25, followed by 6 goals and 4 assists in 2025/26. Solid, but not the sort of output that screams £77m bargain. He has never broken the 11-goal mark in all competitions in a single season.

That’s the debate around Williams in a nutshell. The raw tools are obvious: electric pace, sharp changes of direction, the ability to unbalance defenders in a heartbeat. The question is whether the final product will ever consistently match the chaos he creates.

The Salah Standard

Liverpool’s need on that right side is brutal and clear. Salah, even in what many considered a quieter campaign, still posted 12 goals and 10 assists last season. Those are elite numbers. Replacing that level of end product is not just about talent; it’s about mentality, reliability, and a track record of delivering under pressure.

Williams, at 24, offers upside. He offers a different profile too: more touchline winger than inside forward, more creator in transition than penalty-box predator. For a club looking to refresh an attack without losing its cutting edge, that blend of youth, experience at the highest level, and room to grow is attractive.

The sticking point is the fee. £77m for a player who has never had a truly prolific season is a gamble, even for a club used to betting big on potential and trusting its coaching structure to close the gap.

Liverpool know what they’re buying if they trigger that clause: speed, flair, and a winger who has already shown he can shine on the biggest stages. What they don’t yet know is whether he can live with the shadow of Salah and carry the weight of Anfield’s expectations week after week.

Arsenal are pushing. Liverpool are lurking. The clause is there, waiting. Who decides to roll the dice first?