Chelsea now have to offer £400k-a-week contract to sign target who has Jose Mourinho’s approval

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Chelsea are going to have to obliterate their wage structure in order to sign one attacker this summer.

The Blues are set to improve their forward line, with a striker and winger expected to arrive at Stamford Bridge ahead of next season.

Chelsea may not need to spend too much money on a centre-forward. Chelsea are keen on Liam Delap, whose £30m release clause is now active following Ipswich Town’s relegation to the Championship.

However, one winger could end up costing the club a fortune because of his high wage demands.

• READ MORE: The one stat that shows Chelsea could be about to sign an even better dribbler than Vinicius Junior

Nico Williams demands £400k-a-week contract

Understandably, Chelsea have identified Nico Williams as a target for the summer, with the Athletic Bilbao star being one of the best wide attackers in Spain.

To bring him in, though, they are going to have to offer the 22-year-old the kind of contract that no Chelsea player is currently on.

According to the Daily Mail, while Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal are all interested in Williams, his representatives are demanding a deal worth around £400,000 a week.

It would see Williams become the Blues’ highest earner and by some distance. In Chelsea’s current squad, Reece James is believed to be the highest-paid player, earning £250,000 a week.

Williams has come up with 10 goal contributions in 28 La Liga appearances this season. Last term, the Spain international recorded 16 in 31, so again, he is one of the division’s top wide men.

Even so, £400,000 a week is an incredible amount of money to pay. If Chelsea do not fancy doing that, they do have other options. For example, Chelsea are also interested in Jamie Gittens of Borussia Dortmund.

Nico Williams has Jose Mourinho’s approval

If Jose Mourinho was still Chelsea manager, the Portuguese would probably be pushing for Williams to be signed despite his high wage demands.

Mourinho spoke about Williams last year before Fenerbahce’s match against Athletic Bilbao in the Europa League and said (via beIN SPORTS): “Nico Williams is wonderful. During the Euro, everyone was talking about Lamine Yamal, who is obviously another fantastic young talent, but I personally prefer Nico.

“He’s a fantastic player. You can’t think that a Turkish club can sign a player like him. I hope he ends up wearing white [Real Madrid’s shirt].”

Many would agree with the Special One, but many will also feel that £400,000 a week is way too much money.