Sports
‘I Signed a £7.2m-a-year Deal to Join Arsenal
Summary
- Willian’s move from Chelsea to Arsenal did not end well, with the Brazilian cutting ties with the club after his debut year in north London.
- The Brazilian revealed why he wanted to leave the Emirates just three months after joining the Gunners in 2021.
- Willian enjoyed a successful Premier League career at Chelsea prior to his disastrous move to Arsenal, lifting two Premier League titles.
Mikel Arteta was appointed as Arsenal manager in December 2019, and despite the Spaniard leading the North London club to greener pastures eventually, it wasn’t all rosy from the start. The former Manchester City assistant coach inherited a mess that had spiralled under previous boss Unai Emery, and the Gunners finished eighth in back-to-back campaigns at the beginning of his tenure.
Before the summer of 2021, where an evident strategy of acquiring young players who could grow together was put in place by the club’s hierarchy, Arteta and Edu Gaspar attempted a number of short-term fixes. The belief was that the squad was closer to the level of being capable of securing a Champions League place than it was in reality, and that all it needed was bolstering with a few bits of proven quality.
This short-termism saw a bumper new contract for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, a contract extension for David Luiz and the signings of Thomas Partey and Willian. But the latter, who arrived from Chelsea, revealed that just months after agreeing to the move to the Emirates, he was desperate to leave the club, enduring a torrid time with the Gunners.
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Why Willian Regretted Joining Arsenal
Turning 32 at the end of the 2019/2020 season, Willian was on the hunt for what would likely be the final substantial contract of his career. Having made over 300 appearances for Chelsea and having won multiple honours at Stamford Bridge, the prospect of continuing his love affair with the Blues would’ve been enticing.
Indeed, the option of a mega two-year deal was on the table, but Willian had another, more appetizing and lucrative contract proposal. Arsenal, eager to find a proven Premier League wide man who could nurture Bukayo Saka and help catapult them into the top four, offered the Brazilian a sensational £7.2-million a-year deal to swap West London for North London.
The critical factor that convinced Willian to accept Arsenal’s offer was the length of the contract, with the Gunners offering an additional third year. Putting pen to paper on the remunerative deal, the creative forward became the first permanent signing of Arteta’s fledgling managerial career.
Visions of Willian leading a charge into the top four during the 2020/21 season certainly didn’t materialise, as Arsenal sat 17th at one stage in mid-December. The veteran winger quickly realised he’d made a mistake by accepting Arteta’s proposal, revealing in an interview on Rio Ferdinand’s Presents YouTube channel back in 2021 that he notified his agent just months into the season that he didn’t want to be at Arsenal anymore.
“I wasn’t happy, I wasn’t happy,” he said. “That’s why I didn’t perform. I don’t want to go into the details. When I arrived there I was happy, from the beginning I was motivated, I wanted to do well – new club, new mates, new project. But after three months, I said to my agent: ‘Please, I want to go’. I don’t want to speak bad about the club, because it is a big club. Arsenal has a big history.
“In football, big players played there before as well. But it didn’t work, it didn’t work. It was, of course, the most difficult time of my career.
“It was big money that I gave up [to leave Arsenal]. But sometimes money is not the most important thing in life. I think you need to be happy, get pleasure every day waking up in the morning to go to train. I wasn’t having that.
“So I said to myself, with my family, I cannot stay here, I am not happy here. I have to leave, find a way out, leave the club, because if I stay I am going to stay the same. For me, it’s unfair to stay in a place that you don’t want to stay just because of the money. For me, it was that.”
Ultimately cutting ties with the club at the end of his debut campaign in North London, having amassed 37 appearances in a red shirt and scored just once, Willian certainly won’t be remembered fondly by Arsenal fans, and has been named in the club’s worst eleven of the 21st century.
|
Willian’s Premier League Statistics for Arsenal |
|
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
25 |
|
Goals |
1 |
|
Assists |
5 |
|
Shots Per 90 |
1.28 |
|
Expected Goals Per 90 |
0.12 |
|
Key Passes Per 90 |
2.05 |
|
Expected Assists Per 90 |
0.15 |
Willian Enjoyed a Successful Career and is Still Playing
Arteta and Arsenal eventually learned their lessons from the Willian saga, identifying a host of younger players to sign and build around the following summer. As for Willian himself, his stint at the Emirates won’t overshadow what has been an overwhelmingly successful career, and a successful spell in English football.
Playing a prominent role in Chelsea teams between 2013 and 2020, the Brazil international netted 63 goals for the West Londoners, winning two Premier League titles, an FA Cup and the Europa League. He also accumulated 70 caps for Brazil, and lifted an array of silverware at Shakhtar Donetsk.
joined Corinthians from Arsenal in 2021, but then returned to England with Fulham. Back in London he rediscovered a bit of form and earned another one-year contract before a short spell at Olympiacos in Greece, before coming back to Craven Cottage yet again in 2025.
He’s now in Brazil playing for Gremio, aged 37.
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Club Open To Tottenham Player Sale For £26M After Contact Made
Tottenham have been handed a boost in their pursuit of one transfer target, but could face a battle to land him over their rivals in the coming weeks in the market.
It’s part of a busy summer for Spurs, as Roberto De Zerbi and the recruitment team have already shifted focus towards rebuilding the squad to avoid a repeat of the consecutive 17th-placed finishes the club have suffered from.
Two deals have already been sealed in the backline, while moves are also being made to sign Savinho and Jan Paul van Hecke in swift fashion.
Other targets are in mind too, with an open race to land a particular forward.
Antonio Vergara Transfer Battle
Tottenham have been linked with a move for Napoli forward Antonio Vergara, as CalcioNapoli24 claims that the club are monitoring a move for the 23-year-old.
Spurs aren’t the only team in the mix, as Como are also eyeing a move as they look to add more homegrown talent to their squad ahead of their move into the Champions League next season.
It’s claimed that the Serie A side have already made contact for the 23-year-old, as the two teams position themselves for a possible deal in the market.
Napoli are believed to be open for a switch in the region of £26 million, which could prove to be a bargain, if Tottenham are able to agree a switch.
It remains to be seen whether De Zerbi’s side will formalise their interest, as Como appear to be pushing ahead with their own move for the forward.
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How Good Is Antonio Vergara?
A move for Vergara could add more attacking depth to the Tottenham forward line, but there are question marks over how well he would adjust to the Premier League.
The 23-year-old can play as both an attacking midfielder and as a right-winger, but he has often been used as a squad player since returning to Napoli from a loan spell at Reggiana.
Last season, Vergara made 19 appearances across all competitions, scoring three goals and assisting four times, with just under 1,000 minutes to his name.
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The former Italy youth international saw his season interrupted by injuries, which certainly didn’t help his case to be a regular starter under Antonio Conte.
At 23, there is room to grow further, but it’s unclear whether Tottenham can take such a risk when they have a squad filled with potential but a lack of quality for the here and now.
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Man Utd Chiefs Now Confident They Will Sign Elliot Anderson
Manchester United are optimistic they will beat their rivals to a key signing this summer, according to The Guardian, as the next phase of the squad rebuild moves into effect.
For Michael Carrick, the summer offers a chance to reflect on a successful stint so far, having returned the Red Devils to the Champions League, before pushing on and finding areas to improve upon.
The recruitment team are already putting plans into place for some key additions to the squad, with the midfield being the main area of focus so far.
Ederson is set to join the club from Atalanta, as Manchester United have agreed the terms of a move and are moving closer to the deal being finalised.
The midfield interest doesn’t stop there, however, as the Red Devils continue to monitor other options, which includes a potential move for Elliot Anderson.
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Anderson appears to be one of the most-wanted stars in the Premier League this summer, after the Nottingham Forest midfielder has shown his class for both club and country – leading to rave reviews and an “elite” description of his performances.
A move appears awkward for a few clubs, after Forest placed a price tag in the region of £100 million on the star, as they brace for interest elsewhere.
Manchester City have already made an offer, which has been rebuffed, as it seemed as though everything was moving towards Anderson joining them.
However, it appears as though there could be a twist in the tale, as the Guardian claims that the Manchester United executives are optimistic that a deal for the midfielder can still be completed.
As it stands, Man City seemingly remain the favourites, but there is belief that the Red Devils will be able to convince the England international that they are the right destination for him.
Perhaps even more importantly, the report claims that Sir Jim Ratcliffe is willing to fund the wage demands of the 23-year-old in the summer window.
It all comes down to whether United can fully convince Anderson that Old Trafford is the ideal destination, even if the project still needs time to build.
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Anderson Is Perfect For Man Utd
As Man United look to improve their midfield ranks, a move for Anderson would appear perfect to help try and set the club up for the short-term and long-term future.
The England star is a generalist, someone who is good at a bit of everything, which is the exact profile that could take the Red Devils to the next level.
The 23-year-old is comfortable evading pressure when building up from deep, has the creative instinct and vision around the box in the final third, and has an engine that allows him to put in a shift when out of possession.
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Much like how Declan Rice helped transform Arsenal, Anderson could end up doing the same for Man United, giving a player who platforms everyone else.
It will be costly, but it could accelerate the project at Old Trafford by a few years.
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Tottenham Want Jean-Matteo Bahoya In Transfer Switch
Tottenham are stepping up their interest in transfer targets, as a report from BILD claims that a winger is back on the club’s radar for this summer.
Spurs have already wasted no time in trying to strengthen Roberto De Zerbi’s squad, adding the free signings of Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi, while progress is being made to try and sign Savinho and Jan Paul van Hecke.
However, after the head coach claimed that “only ten to 12” players were good enough to play for the Lilywhites, there is still work to be done.
That is why Tottenham continue to push forward with a few other key moves, with a winger seemingly on the shortlist for a switch this summer.
Jean-Matteo Bahoya Transfer Move
According to a report from BILD, via Sports Witness, Tottenham are described as “particularly interested” in a move to sign Jean-Matteo Bahoya from Eintracht Frankfurt this summer.
It comes as the Bundesliga outfit are looking to raise funds in the transfer market, with the 21-year-old winger listed as one of three players who could be available in the coming weeks.
North London rivals Arsenal were linked with a potential move for Bahoya, but the report suggests that the Gunners may well have walked away from a move.
The French winger has impressed over the past season, with promising performances in the Bundesliga and the Champions League, suggesting he could become even better in the future.
Bahoya has been described as “unbelievably fast”, potentially adding an injection of pace that Tottenham need in the forward line moving forward.
That said, it remains to be seen whether an offer will be lodged in the coming days and weeks of the market.
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Tottenham Transfer Challenge
While Bahoya may be a promising option for Tottenham, the priority has to be on improving the base quality of the team, not the potential for the future.
Spurs have plenty of young players who could become great, but miss that consistent quality that can often be found with the stars who have experience, particularly in the Premier League.
This approach in signing the likes of Robertson, Senesi, and Van Hecke shows that the club know this, but the same must come from the forward areas.
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Manchester United used this effectively last year, with the signings of Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha for the forward line.
While Savinho has some experience, he still lands more on the side of potential, meaning that Spurs should look to land more immediate forward quality.
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