Newcastle United ‘join race’ for £43m rated Barcelona and Liverpool target

Newcastle United took away a hard fought 0-0 draw in their opening Champions League clash against AC Milan at the San Siro.

The match proved to be a tense affair and the Magpies struggled to find any real fluidity in attack, despite a number of strong defensive displays.

Overall Newcastle fans had to wait until added time for their first shot on target against Milan, while they had previously managed just two goals from open play in their last five matches.

This has prompted rumours of further attacking arrivals in the January transfer window and Eddie Howe’s side could potentially emerge as a rival for Liverpool and Barcelona in the race to sign Athletic Bilbao attacker Nico Williams, according to Spanish outlet Sport Witness.

The 21-year-old winger is a product of the Bilbao academy and he is the younger brother and team mate of first team striker Inaki Williams.

He made his competitive debut during the 2020/21 season when he was just 19-years-old and has since established himself as a regular fixture in the Bilbao setup.

The winger’s performances have caught the attention of the Spanish national team and he has already been given 10 caps at international level, scoring two goals in the process.

He was also a regular for his country during the 2022 World Cup and he played in all four of the games for Luis Enrique’s team.

Williams is described as a pacey and technically gifted footballer and he is renowned for his ability to glide past players and create chances, which could potentially fill the void left by the departure of Allan Saint-Maximin.

The Spanish youngster has just one year remaining on his contract and he has been linked with a free transfer to Barcelona and Liverpool in the summer.

However, Williams also has a £43m release clause on his contract which could potentially be triggered in the January transfer window.