Arsenal are ready to launch a £43 million bid for rival Bukayo Saka

Bukayo Saka enters the European competition this summer after a campaign in which he enjoyed his best attacking season.

The Arsenal star may not have won the individual award like his England team-mate Phil Foden but he was still a revelation. He finished 2023/24 with 20 goals, confirming himself as the Gunners' top scorer and providing 14 assists.

The problem is that he is the only real option on the right side of Mikel Arteta's attack.

Gabriel Jesus has come off the right at various stages this season while Gabriel Martinelli started the last day's win over Everton on the right and Saka was injured.

However, there is a problem. The 22-year-old hasn't missed a single minute this term and could afford to rest a bit during the campaign. It should be a priority for Arsenal to sign the competition this summer.

Arsenal's summer transfer plans

Fortunately, it would appear that the Gunners are keen to strengthen their wide options this summer.

The star of Crystal Palace, Michael Olise, is being watched a lot and due to the fact that Arsenal were able to enter the Champions League, it is reported that they are the frontrunners in the race for his signature.

Another option would be Athletic Bilbao's Nico Williams. This is what Football Transfers reported at the weekend that Arsenal have entered the race to sign this player, but will face Chelsea, PSG and Barcelona.

The 21-year-old is said to have a £43m release clause and reports suggest Edu and Co are ready to trigger that in the coming weeks.

How do you compare Nico Williams to Bukayo Saka

Throughout William's career so far, he has appeared on the right side of the attack.

The boy has played for that team 73 times in his career, scoring 17 goals and providing 18 assists.

Because of this, he would appear to be well placed to compete with Saka for a place in Arteta's starting line-up. The Spaniard also likes a dynamic face and in Williams, he will be getting that.

Throughout 2023/24, the Spain international has been seen mostly as a left winger. It was a spell-binding campaign in which the Arsenal target scored eight goals and provided 17 assists across all competitions.

So, on that evidence, Bilbao's feeling is more about creating for his teammates than finding the net himself. That is by no means a bad quality to have.

So, what else does the £43m man have in his armoury? However, according to commentator Ben Mattinson “he could be the fastest player at the club if he joins”, stating that “speed is his best asset and his ability with two feet.”

Arsenal undoubtedly need to add more pace to their attack. When Martinelli doesn't play or doesn't play then the Gunners can fight as effectively as others.

Williams can help with this. So, what are the numbers?

However, while Saka is clearly the biggest goal threat, it would appear that Williams is more dangerous when it comes to taking the mark and beating them.

The large number of carry-ons and take-aways are very large. We know how good Arsenal's number 7 is at this point, so for a peer in the position to drop him is surprising.

As Mattinson goes on to say, Williams is “good enough to take Saka away” and statistically, he's not wrong.