Nico Williams reveals he rejected Arsenal and PSG to stay at Athletic Club
Nico Williams has confirmed he turned down Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain to remain at Athletic Club, with the Spanish winger revealing the decision was made alongside his family.
Speaking via Get Football News Spain, Williams said: “Apart from Barca, I had offers from PSG and Arsenal, and I rejected them. I am where I want to be. The decisions are made at home with my parents and my brother.”
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The comments shed light on a pursuit that has run for more than a year. Arsenal reportedly made efforts to sign Williams during the summer transfer windows of both 2024 and 2025, hoping the attacker might be tempted to continue his career in England. Those efforts ultimately came to nothing.
A boyhood attachment proves hard to break
Williams has long been linked with a move away from the Basque Country given his performances for both Athletic Club and the Spanish national team, but his loyalty to his boyhood club has consistently complicated interest from elsewhere. He has since signed a long term contract at San Mames, even as speculation about his future has continued to surface periodically.
His latest remarks make clear that the interest from clubs the size of Arsenal and PSG has not been enough to shift his thinking. The decision, he explained, was a family one, made with the input of his parents and brother rather than driven purely by the scale of the clubs chasing him.
Arsenal left to explore other options
For Arsenal, the confirmation underlines just how difficult it can be to prise away a player who is genuinely content where he is, regardless of the financial or sporting pull of a move. Mikel Arteta's side have continued to explore ways of strengthening their attacking options, and Williams had been viewed as one name capable of adding further quality out wide.
His stance, though, suggests that avenue is effectively closed for the time being. Arsenal will need to look at alternative targets if they are to add further depth and competition in the wide areas of the squad, with Williams' repeated rejections making clear that no amount of pursuit is likely to change his mind while he remains settled at Athletic Club.
