Mikel Arteta is looking at La Liga ace to provide cover for Bukayo Saka

It’s an accepted fact that Bukayo Saka is one of the first names that will be on Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal team sheet each week.

The young England international continues to blossom for club and country and it’s no wonder he’s held in such high regard.

The issue for the Gunners manager is when Saka is injured, there’s little that can be offered in the way of cover for his position.

Perhaps that goes some way to explaining why Arteta is interested in bringing Athletic Club de Bilbao’s Nico Williams to North London, per Mirror.

The 21-year-old flyer is the younger brother of Athletic’s talisman, Inaki, but has shown no sign at this point that he’s willing to leave the San Mames outfit.

Mirror also believe that Athletic will rebuff any approaches from Arsenal or elsewhere, ensuring that the talented winger spends his supposed peak years in Bilbao.

Of course where football is concerned money talks, and if Arsenal were to offer an amount that Athletic simply couldn’t turn down, then there’s a conversation at least to be had.

Williams isn’t quite as accomplished as Saka at this point in their respective careers, but as an impact player from the bench or to give the Arsenal man a rest when needed, he’s a viable option.