Athletic Club star Nico Williams is set to be one of the most in-demand attackers in European football when the transfer window re-opens at the end of the season.

Williams, 22, has been a name linked with Manchester United in the past, with Arsenal and Barcelona strongly tipped to make a move. The forward helped his country win the European Championship in the summer with a series of strong displays, including a goal in the final against England.

A move never materialised last year, and he remained at Bilbao, where he has continued to impress in La Liga and the Europa League. With a reported £49million release clause, the Spaniard is set to be the subject of intense transfer speculation this year.

Arsenal's woes in attack since Christmas have left Mikel Arteta playing midfielder Mikel Merino at centre-forward. At least one attacker is expected to be signed in the summer, while Chelsea's collection of attacking wingers isn't expected to stop with Williams linked previously.

For now, Williams will remain focused on securing a spot in next season's Champions League with Bilbao, and on Sunday, he played his part in a 7-1 thrashing of Real Valladolid. The forward scored two fantastic goals for Valverde's men either side of half-time.

After curling in his first to make it 2-0 in the 35th minute, Williams ran off in celebration to the Bilbao fans and seemed to send a message with his celebration. The Spain forward pointed towards his chest and pointed his fingers towards the ground, almost saying he was staying put.

It's a move many footballers have done in the past when speculation has linked them with a move away. It doesn't necessarily mean a decision has been made on his future, but it could be a hint that he is happy in Bilbao for the time being.

Williams is likely to be one of the forwards in Europe tipped with a move to Old Trafford in the summer amid Marcus Rashford's likely exit. The England forward has impressed in the first month at Aston Villa, providing two assists in Saturday's 2-1 win over Chelsea.

Villa are understood to have a buy option, meaning Rashford could leave permanently at the end of the season. With Antony, another forward, also likely to be offloaded, United will be in desperate need of reinforcements in the wide attacking areas.

Williams fits the mould perfectly, and his arrival would significantly improve Ruben Amorim's forward line. However, the lack of Champions League football, or even any European competition, means United may struggle to compete with Barcelona for his signature.