Chelsea weigh up late move for £50m “superstar”

All window long, Chelsea have been linked with a plethora of attacking options to try and aid Enzo Maresca in his ambitions of securing a top-four Premier League finish.

However, with less than a week to go, the time is ticking for the Blues to land that attacking star they’ve been searching for throughout the majority of the month.

The Blues haven’t even managed to land any new signings at all this month, with only outgoings taking place at Stamford Bridge – something which also needs to be done to cut down the number of players currently on the books.

Renato Veiga has joined Juventus on loan for the remainder of the campaign, with fellow defender Axel Disasi reportedly in talks to join Aston Villa after only featuring just six times in the league during 2024/25.

However, the lack of incomings could be about to change as the window enters its final week, with a new name entering the shortlist over a potential move to West London.

Chelsea targeting move for £50m sensation

According to The Athletic, Chelsea are monitoring the progress of Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams ahead of a potential late move before the end of the month.

Said to be the club’s wishlist, it’s not the first time the Blues have been interested in a move for the 22-year-old, after previously being linked with the Spaniard following his displays at Euro 2024 during their triumph.

The report states that the youngster has reemerged on the club’s list recently after their hunt for a new attacker has failed to materialise, but that other targets are still being considered at this point.

Williams is known to have a £50m release clause in his contract with the LaLiga side, which could make a move straightforward should they decide to trigger it any stage in the next few days.

However, given the other options on Maresca’s attacking shortlist, it remains to be seen which option will be the preferred target going over the next couple of days.

Why Williams would be a bigger signing than Garnacho for Chelsea

Another one of the Blues’ targets in recent days has been Manchester United attacker Alejandro Garnacho, who’s been told he can leave if a club matches his £55m asking price.

Napoli have also been credited with an interest in his services as of late, but it was reported that the Argentine wants to stay and play in the Premier League if he was to move.

Given his record of three goals and just one assist in 22 matches, it would be a huge investment, especially for a player who’s not produced an impressive goal return, with better options out there on the market.

Such options could see the Blues move for Williams, who’s registered the same amount of contributions in fewer games and is available for a slightly cheaper fee.

However, it’s the Spaniard’s underlying stats that showcase why he would be a better signing than Garnacho for the Blues, massively improving the options within Maresca’s attacking unit.

The youngster, who’s previously been dubbed a “superstar” by journalist Jason Soutar, has registered a significantly higher tally of progressive passes and shot-creating actions per 90 – highlighting the impact he’s capable of producing in the final third.

A pass is considered progressive if the distance between the starting point and the next touch is at least 10 meters closer to the opponent’s goal or any completed pass into the penalty area.

Williams has also completed more attempted take-ons, whilst registering more crosses per 90, further demonstrating his impressive skill set with the ball when in the final third.

Given the difference in quality and price tag, Chelsea must forget about a move for United star Garnacho and pursue a move for Williams in the closing stages of the window.

If the club are to land a new attacker in the coming days, the Spaniard should easily be the number one option, having all of the tools to provide Maresca with the added attacking quality he’s been hunting for recently.