"I hope he ends up at Arsenal" - Emmanuel Petit urges Gunners to sign Barcelona transfer target

Emmanuel Petit has urged Arsenal to go all out for Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams. Petit reckons that Williams is an incredible player, and he’d want the Gunners to acquire the services of the Spaniard.

Before the 2024 summer transfer window closed, a host of clubs were reportedly interested in the Nico Williams. Clubs like Barcelona, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Bayern Munich were said to be eyeing the player. However, the 22-year-old ended up disappointing all his suitors as he decided to stay put at Atletico Bilbao.

Despite the fact that the transfer window is currently closed, Barcelona are reportedly said to have reignited their interest in Nico Williams and have also earmarked the No. 10 jersey for him if he joins them next summer.

However, it is an unarguable fact that Williams is a good signing for any club at the moment. The winger became a sensation following his incredible run in Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph. This perhaps explains why he is a target for a lot of European heavyweights.

Mikel Arteta’s side were quite busy in the summer transfer window. They signed three players on a permanent deal and two on loan. However, Petit is hoping that the Gunners can add Nico Williams to their squad. Speaking to Prime Casino, Petit said (via GOAL);

"Arsenal have so much ambition, a young average age and Mikel Arteta has just signed a new contract, he and staff know what they are doing in the transfer market and now they need to bring in some competition. One player that Arsenal should go all out for is Nico Williams, it would be a dream signing for Mikel Arteta. He is an amazing player and he'll be wanted by so many clubs, I hope he ends up at Arsenal."

While the strength in Mikel Arteta's current squad is undeniable, singing a gem like Nico Williams would obviously bolster their attacking options and possibly give them more edge in the Premier League title race.

Juventus star reflects on rejecting Arsenal while expressing admiration for Mikel Arteta

Manuel Locatelli has claimed that he does not rue his decision to reject Arsenal for Juventus while admitting that he is now an admirer of Mikel Arteta. Locatelli turned down the Gunners and opted for a move to the Italian club on loan in 2021 following the Euro 2020 triumph with Italy.

The Italian defensive midfielder still plies his trade for Juventus but hadn’t really had the best of years at the club as he has only won one Italian Super Cup there. Despite this, he says he has no regrets over his decision to join Juve. In an interview with Tuttosport, he was asked if he considered making a U-turn to the north London club, who once wanted him. Responding, he said,

"No, but since I love watching the games I also watch theirs and I respect their coach, Arteta."

Since moving to the Allianz Stadium, Locatelli has scored four goals and provided 13 assists for Juventus in 138 appearances across competitions.