Ornstein: Liverpool had explored potential swoop for Euro 2024 champ last summer – not Zubimendi | OneFootball

David Ornstein has revealed that, last summer, Liverpool had ‘looked into the viability’ of a potential swoop for one member of Spain’s Euro 2024-winning squad.

The Reds’ interest in La Roja midfielder Martin Zubimendi has been well-documented, but seemingly he wasn’t the only one of Luis de la Fuente’s players who’d been in FSG’s sights.

The latest edition of The Athletic‘s Transfer DealSheet was published on Tuesday morning, with the trusted reporter issuing an eye-catching claim about one of LaLiga’s most coveted stars.

Ornstein: Liverpool had explored potential Nico Williams swoop in 2024

Ornstein wrote that Liverpool ‘looked into the viability of a deal’ for Nico Williams in last summer’s transfer window, although it isn’t specified whether or not the Reds are considering a move for him this month.

Arsenal and Chelsea are named as current suitors for the Athletic Bilbao winger, whose release clause is just under €60m (£49.8m) and would need to be paid in full.

Mikel Arteta is keen to land the Spain international in January, although a summer exit from the Estadio San Mames is deemed ‘more plausible’.

(Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

What might Williams have brought to Liverpool?

Liverpool were linked with a move for Williams in some quarters last summer, although it’s still interesting to hear the ever-reliable Ornstein now claiming that the Reds had genuinely considered raiding Athletic Bilbao for the gifted 22-year-old, who played a starring role in Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph.

He mainly operates off the left flank but can play on either wing, and he’s caught the eye with his searing pace, clever movement and dazzling dribbling ability (Sporting Life), all of which make him a constant threat in the final third of the pitch.

Those traits are also evident when looking at his underlying performance metrics in 2024. As per FBref, he ranked among the top 6% of positional peers in Europe’s five main leagues last year for successful take-ons per 90 minutes (3.16), along with the top 7% for progressive carries per game (5.95).

However, one aspect where Williams falls down is his scoring output. He may have netted twice for Spain in Euro 2024, including the opener in the final against England, but he has the same number of goals from 24 matches for his club this season and hasn’t found the net since October (Transfermarkt).

Even Darwin Nunez, from whom Arne Slot has reportedly called for greater consistency in front of goal, has a better return in the current campaign, while Liverpool’s other senior forwards (except the rarely-seen Federico Chiesa) have far higher tallies.

The Spanish winger could well dominate the rumour mill again in 2025, although it’s currently hard to imagine him swapping Bilbao for Merseyside, unless circumstances change significantly.