Unai Emery failed as Aston Villa and Chelsea dealt ‘unrealistic’ demand in transfer saga

The Spain international, cherry-picked by Unai Emery and chased for the last three transfer windows, has reportedly asked for significant wages to ditch boyhood club Athletic Bilbao for the Premier League.

Williams has been a sensation in La Liga, recording his best-ever statistics with four goals and 11 assists in 28 appearances this season, compared to six goals and five assists throughout 36 matches last term. Still just 21 years of age, there’s potential for the Spain international to become one of the world’s most coveted wingers.

But to do that, many would argue Williams must first depart his beloved Bilbao, a team rarely capable of breaking into the elite three of the Spanish top flight. Girona have done excellently to occupy second place but it’s been an anomaly of a season, with Barcelona and Atletico Madrid losing ground on title clinchers Real Madrid.

Villa and Chelsea are both keen to activate Williams’ €50 million (£43 million) release clause, offering the wonderkid a route into the Premier League. But 90min claims the Pamplona native has made a summer transfer tricky due to his sky-high wage demands. Although the figures aren’t named, they are said to have caused clubs to cool their interest.

Emery, desperate to unite with his fellow countryman at Villa Park, will feel particularly failed by this development. No club has been linked to Williams more often than the Villans and there’s a reason for that, he’s a priority target. But if the latest reports are true, Emery, Monchi and the board may have to seek elsewhere.