As one of the most coveted young players in Europe, Nico Williams could well be entering his final couple of months as an Athletic Bilbao player.
Although he remains under contract with his boyhood club for another two years, the expectation is that several European heavyweights will test Bilbao’s resolve in the summer.
Barcelona tried to move heaven and earth to sign Williams last summer on the back of Spain’s victory in Euro 2024, a tournament in which he had played such a starring role.
Hindered by all sorts of financial restrictions and red tape last year, Barca could well renew their interest as they look to partner Williams with fellow wing wizard Lamine Yamal.
The 22-year-old has been valued in excess of £80million, with Arsenal also credited with a strong interest in recent months.
Blessed with electric pace and quicksilver footwork, Williams is absolute greased lightning when he’s in full flow.
He looked strangely quiet and subdued in Glasgow last week as Bilbao laboured to a 0-0 draw with Rangers in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final.
Benched for the clash with Rayo Vallecano in La Liga last Sunday, he came on with just under 20 minutes to play and inspired his team to victory.
Williams curled a sublime left-foot finish into the top corner as Bilbao fought back to win 3-1 on their quest to secure Champions League football for next season.
It served as a timely reminder of his talents — and demonstrated the scale of the task facing Rangers tonight as they look to pull off what would be a seismic upset at the San Mames.
Just a few miles from the stadium in the centre of Bilbao, there is a giant mural of Williams and his elder brother Inaki.
Conversations about the Williams siblings once belonged solely to the tennis domain, but it’s Nico and Inaki, both of Ghanaian heritage, who have become the poster boys for a more modern and multi-cultural Bilbao.
Of course, the club are fiercely proud of their Basque roots. Athletic Bilbao remain true and loyal to their policy of only signing players from the region itself.
A knock-on effect from that policy, however, meant that they were the last Spanish club ever to field a black player when they finally did so in 2011.
Then along came Bilbao-born Inaki who, in 2015, became the first black player to score for the club and has since gone on to make close to 500 appearances.
However, it’s his younger Pamplona-born brother, Nico, who looks certain to move on to bigger and better things as a host of top European clubs chase his signature.
Not only is he the jewel in Bilbao’s crown, he’s one of the top talents in the Spanish national team as well, as evidenced in last summer’s stunning triumph at the Euros.
Williams scored in the final as England were beaten 2-1 in Berlin, underlining his big-match credentials. In that moment, along with Yamal, two new stars had been born.
While Inaki could be a doubt for this evening, depending on whether he can shake off a slight knock, it’s the younger of the brothers who is undoubtedly the main threat to Rangers.
Ernesto Valverde’s side, who currently sit fourth in La Liga, will start the night as red-hot favourites to book a place in the semi-finals.
The Bilbao head coach is wary of over-confidence, however, stating: ‘Whoever wins will stay in the competition. It’s a unique match. We’re playing a key game, to reach a European semi-final for the third time in Athletic Club history.
‘We have to respect our opponents because they’re a great team. They showed it in the first leg and have a history to defend.
‘We’re going to give it our all. We’re coming back stronger and we’re excited to continue in the Europa League.
‘It was good to win last weekend and arrive with confidence. But Rangers fought back from two goals down in their last match (against Aberdeen) and will come here with confidence.
‘We are playing against a team who were in the Europa League final against Frankfurt just a few years ago and lost on penalties, so we must respect them.
‘They have good movement, players who are excellent at exploiting spaces, they run tirelessly, and are dangerous on counter-attacks.
‘When you suffer a sending-off like they did last week, they’ll sit back and wait for their chances, and they did well. But it will be a different game, an open one, with chances for both sides.’
For Nico Williams, these next few weeks could well be his last in a Bilbao jersey prior to a blockbuster move in the summer.
With the final set to be held in Athletic Bilbao’s stadium in May, what a denouement it would be if the young winger could lead his team to glory before heading for pastures new.
Rangers, of course, will hope to be the party-poopers. Although huge underdogs, Barry Ferguson’s side can’t be written off given their penchant for claiming major European scalps.
But it’s a tall order. Keeping the shackles on Williams Junior will be key to their chances. Fail to do that and it could be over in the blink of an eye.