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In one of the most widely discussed transfer stories of the summer, Spanish winger Nico Williams has at last disclosed why he rejected attractive proposals from Liverpool and Barcelona in favor of a move to Arsenal — and it all hinged on a meaningful connection in North London.
During his introductory press conference, Williams spoke about the tough choice he had to make and identified the Arsenal teammate who was instrumental in persuading him to join the Gunners.
“Liverpool and Barcelona both came with very good offers,” Williams admitted. “I spoke to people at both clubs, and honestly, it was tempting. But there’s one person at Arsenal I couldn’t turn my back on.”
Without prolonging the suspense, Nico named the player who influenced his decision.
“That person is Bukayo Saka,” he confirmed with a smile. “We’ve been close for years since we met during international youth tournaments, and the bond just grew stronger from there. I didn’t want anything that would jeopardize our friendship. I spoke to him a lot about life at Arsenal, the team, Mikel Arteta’s vision — and his words meant everything to me.”
Williams also acknowledged the choice wasn’t simple, given the stature of the other clubs that showed strong interest in him.
“I hope I won’t regret my decision later,” he confessed. “Because those other teams are huge, but in the end, loyalty and friendship matter a lot to me. I feel like I’ll be at home here with Bukayo and the rest of the team.”
The Spanish star’s signing has already generated enthusiasm among Arsenal fans, many of whom are eager to watch how his connection with Saka on the wings could evolve in the upcoming Premier League season.
Head coach Mikel Arteta also commented on the acquisition: “Nico is a player we’ve admired for a long time. His qualities suit our style perfectly, and having someone like Bukayo here to help integrate him makes this even more special.”
As Liverpool and Barcelona miss out, Arsenal supporters will be hopeful that this bond on and off the field produces memorable performances in the future.