Williams has a relatively modest €58 million (£48.1m) release clause in his deal with Athletic Bilbao but his €200,000-a-week (£166,000) salary was believed to have been a major hurdle for interested clubs in the summer window.

Manchester City’s Rodri has made it clear that there is one member of his Spanish national team that he would ‘take’ to the Etihad Stadium ‘without a doubt’.The 28-year-old alongside his

Manchester City midfielder, Rodri wants the club to sign 22-year-old Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams ahead of Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea. Williams has been linked with a move away from Bilbao.