Nico Williams was very close to signing for Barcelona in the summer of the Euros, but he chose to stay at Athletic Bilbao one more season to improve further and get consistent minutes.
But as the 2024/2025 LaLiga season has progressed, he’s been on a few more clubs’ radars, and transfer rumours have swirled about him going to the Premier League as well.
Rumours have circulated that teams like Arsenal or Chelsea are trying to sign the player, and Barca has remained interested.
His relationship with the Spanish players there makes it more likely for him to stay in Spain.
The 22-year-old, 181cm youngster is one of the most explosive wingers in the world, and with a few more years, he could be the best winger on the planet.
In this player analysis, we will take a look at how he fits in the Athletic Club system, how he would fit at either Arsenal or Barca since those are his strongest links, and his potential as a player.
Who Is Nico Williams?
Nico Williams started his professional career at Athletic Club Bilbao in the 2020/2021 season and has been through it all with them.
This season, he has played 44 games and 3,050 minutes, scoring 11 goals and providing seven assists—a total of 18 G/A, which is still great for a player of his calibre and potential.
The youngster is known for his speed, agility, dribbling, and flair on the wing.
He’s known to tear apart defences and dominate players in 1v1 duel situations.
Still, there’s more to his game, like how great he is in transitions as a ball carrier and how effective his acceleration is at starting counterattacks.
His current market value is €70m, but he will certainly not leave for a fee less than €100m.
Nico Williams Radar Map
A 22-year-old ranking in the 96th percentile for dribbles per 90 is just a glimpse of how often he likes to take players on and be an attacking spark.
He ranks in the 71st percentile for goal contributions per 90 and 86th percentile for touches in the opponent’s penalty box.
Being in the 71st percentile is not much of an issue, as he’s still a young player finding his footing, but it would be nice to see his goal contribution numbers increase slightly.
In addition, it would be good to see his dangerous passes and progressive passes per 90 improve as well, but that will come with time and a different system.
Nico Williams Goal Contributions
This section of our analysis will use data to highlight his goal contributions in the 2024/2025 campaign while also sharing my opinion on his strengths in front of goal.
Nico Williams Shot Map At Athletic Club
14 goals on 13.08 xG is a very clinical statistic; he’s converting most of his chances and even outperforming his xG.
When he’s facing goal, he’s finding great opportunities.
If he starts to produce more shots, that ratio will shift, and his goals may drop below his xG, but for now, it shows how clinical he is.
Nico Williams Assist Map At Athletic Club
It would be nice to see him have more assists this season.
It would add a creative dimension to his profile, which currently lacks chance creation.
Vision and creative thinking are often natural traits, but he’s still a strong attacking threat.
Only time will tell if his assist output improves.
Nico Williams Dribbling Characteristics
We’ve previously mentioned two types of dribbling: stop-motion and dynamic-motion.
Stop-motion involves calculated steps, waiting for the opponent’s movement to decide your next action, and watching for a foot to touch the ground or a knee angled the wrong way.
Dynamic motion is instinctive, flowing naturally with the game.
Nico Williams has an overlap in both styles of dribbling, which is what makes him so special.
Let’s now look at the two different examples that showcase the type of dribbler he is.
Nico Williams Stop Motion Dribbling
Nico Williams Stop-Motion Dribbling pic.twitter.com/o8RQLlwWl6
— Footie Clips (@FootieClips) May 5, 2025
Above is a video of Nico Williams showcasing his stop-motion dribbling.
He’s in a 1v1 duel on the touchline with tons of green space behind the defender, but very little room to operate.
If you watch the footage carefully, you’ll notice the defender’s feet are flat on the grass.
As soon as Nico spots this, he pushes the ball past and bursts around him.
Once the defender is flat-footed, it’s nearly impossible to recover, especially against Nico’s explosive speed.
It’s a calculated move, waiting for a small adjustment from the opponent and basing your next movement off that—a deliberate decision, not instinctive.
Nico Williams Dynamic Motion Dribbling
Nico Williams Dynamic Motion Dribbling pic.twitter.com/4GfT5iniUy
— Footie Clips (@FootieClips) May 6, 2025
This is an example of dynamic motion dribbling.
Like in a chess match, there is no time to pause or calculate your next move.
Every decision is made on instinct.
He gets past one and cuts between two in a split second, so fast the defender even falls over.
What makes Nico Williams such a great dribbler is his overlap in both archetypes.
A dribbler who possesses both traits is also a strong ball carrier in transition, which we often see in his game. He picks up the ball at half and starts the attack on his own into the final third.
Nico Williams Final Third Actions
There are three key aspects of Nico Williams’ game I want to explore from a statistical perspective for a winger.
Below, we’ll look at his penetrating carries map, progressive pass map, and ball progression map.
The penetrating carries map shows how and how often he enters the box.
The progressive pass map highlights his chance creation in the final third, where he’s delivering passes and how many per 90.
Finally, the ball progression map reveals how he moves the ball from transitional zones into the final third.
Nico Williams Penetrating Carries Map
Unsurprisingly, Nico Williams recorded nearly 300 penetration carries this season.
He’s a machine in the final third, playing with directness and confidence.
He averages 5.31 progressive carries, 2.63 carries into the final third, and 2.63 carries into the penalty area per 90.
On average, he advances the ball 133.6 yards through progressive carries each match.
These are superb stats for any club seeking a winger who constantly threatens the box.
Nico Williams Progressive Pass Map
Per 90, Nico Williams averages 1.08 passes into the final third and 1.31 into the opponent’s penalty box.
It would be ideal for these passes to generate a higher xA, which we previously noted was relatively low. Improving the quality of his final passes could help turn them into better goal-scoring opportunities.
Nico Williams Progressive Pass
Nico Williams Progressive Pass pic.twitter.com/vYoPibMRm5
— Footie Clips (@FootieClips) May 6, 2025
Some of the reasons for his low assist numbers can be attributed to his style of play in the final third.
The clip above shows most of his progressive and dangerous passes are switches from the top of the box as he cuts in or crosses into the area, not really through balls into space.
Since he loves to dribble so much, he often carries the ball forward himself and only releases it across the pitch after making his move.
Nico Williams Ball Progression Map
It hurts your eyes a little to look at his ball progression map—it’s filled with red and green dots down the left-hand side.
It highlights how often he’s willing to take on players in 1v1 duels and drive forward.
He averages 3.28 successful take-ons per 90, which puts him in the 98th percentile, and 5.16 touches in the opponent’s box, which places him in the 70th percentile.
I want to focus on how many of his carries begin in the midfield zone and how far he progresses the ball from transitional areas.
You can see him often picking the ball up near a midfield position and taking strides forward to turn the match into attack mode for his team.
How Does Nico Williams Fit At Arsenal?
Arsenal FC has been a rumoured destination, and there have been some links tying his name to the club. But how does he fit at Arsenal?
Arsenal is looking for a starting LW, a player who can play every match, 90 minutes per game, and Nico is precisely the type of player they need: a great ball carrier, smart in transition, and very direct going forward.
But is it in his best interest?
Most likely, it isn’t.
Football is more than just fitting into a club tactically; it’s also about culture and surroundings.
He doesn’t fit the English style of play.
Not to say he wouldn’t succeed there, but Barcelona, on the other hand, checks more positive boxes.
How Does Nico Williams Fit At Barcelona?
You may already know how close Nico Williams is to other players in the Barcelona squad, like Lamine Yamal.
He easily fits into the atmosphere, teammates, and culture of a club like Barcelona, plus he’s spent his whole career in Spain.
On top of that, Hansi Flick’s tactics are extremely fitting for attackers.
Just thinking about Barcelona right now, you could put any of their front three on a Ballon d’Or podium.
Who’s to say Nico Williams can’t be on that podium too?
Conclusion
It’s hard to imagine Nico Williams staying much longer at Athletic Club.
He has potential for the Ballon d’Or and needs to start playing in bigger competitions like the Champions League and competing for serious trophies.
He’s already a key player for the Spanish national team but needs a bigger move.
He looks ready for a switch this summer, though it’s still unclear if it will happen this summer or next.
One thing is certain: he’ll be a Ballon d’Or contender for whichever club he joins next.
