Chelsea transfer target Nico Williams has been warned against making a move to Stamford Bridge this summer.
The Athletic Bilbao forward is enjoying a successful season at present, scoring six goals and providing 12 assists as his club continues to push for a Champions League finish and Copa del Rey glory.
Williams’ contract with his current employers was due to expire at the end of the season, though the 21-year-old penned an extension back in December to keep him at the club until 2027.
Chelsea are among the clubs eyeing a move for the youngster this summer and could take advantage of the £43million release clause in his contract, which has remained intact despite his new deal being signed.
Meanwhile, former Liverpool midfielder Steve McManaman is less convinced such a transfer would represent a smart decision from the player himself.
Explaining why the Spain international would be wise to snub a move to Chelsea, McManaman told Betfred: “If I’m being completely honest, I think he’d be mad to go to Chelsea because you just don’t know what you’re going to get with them. They’ve got too many players, with many of them lacking game time, and the club is all over the place. They may change the manager, so if I was Nico Williams, I’d be very wary if Chelsea were interested.
“I don’t think he would be good enough to get into Liverpool or Manchester City’s teams, but of course he can play in the Premier League and £43 million isn’t necessarily a lot of money for Premier League teams now, so somebody may take a chance on him because of the price tag and the type of player he is.
“He wants to be playing, he wants to beat players and he wants to take people on. If he wants to go to Chelsea, I’d say be careful because nobody knows what direction they’re going in,” continued McManaman. “Nobody knows if [Mauricio] Potchenttino will be here this time next year. Nobody knows which players they’re going to try and sell in the summer and what financial FFP problems they have, but he can definitely play in the Premier League.”
Williams, a Spanish international with Ghanaian descent, has scored six goals and assisted 12 in 28 games this season.
