Willian is one of the best wingers in the Premier League (Getty Images)
According to The Telegraph, Arsenal are keen on signing Chelsea forward Willian on a free transfer in the summer after the Brazilian made no progress in signing a two-year deal offered by the Blues.
Willian, 31, came through the youth ranks of Corinthians before playing for Shakhtar Donetsk and Anzhi Makhachkala. Chelsea signed him in the summer of 2013 and since then, he has been a mainstay at Stamford Bridge.
A regular all throughout his career at Chelsea, Willian has made 329 appearances for the Premier League giants. He has racked up 59 goals and 59 assists in the process and has won several trophies, including the Premier League title twice and the Europa League. He is currently in his seventh season with the club and could be on the move once his contract expires at the end of the season.
Meanwhile, the Gunners have made a turnaround in their fortunes since the arrival of Mikel Arteta. They haven’t lost a single league game since the start of the new year and are hoping to qualify for Europe.
Despite doing well in the last few months, Arsenal have shown inconsistency in their games. Their loss to Olympiacos in the Europa League highlighted the need for reinforcements and the manager should make sure that there is depth in each department.
First and foremost, a defensive signing is required for the Gunners and apart from that, Arteta should look to bring in a forward. Given Lacazette’s poor form, the Gunners should bolster their attacking unit to create a lot of goalscoring opportunities.
Nicolas Pepe and Reiss Nelson are the only two right-wingers available at the manager’s disposal. While Pepe is just in his first season in England, Nelson is just 20 years old and cannot be depended upon throughout the campaign. Hence, it would be wise of the North Londoners to go for Willian in the summer.
The 31-year-old has made over 300 appearances in England and has the experience to lead any attacking unit. Though he fell down the pecking order under Frank Lampard earlier in the campaign, Willian has managed 37 appearances so far, scoring 7 goals and providing 6 assists.
The Brazil international has been a key member of Chelsea’s squad in their title-winning campaigns and could be an important player for the Gunners if he is able to stay at the top of his game. He has already proven himself in the English top-flight.
A right-winger by trade, Willian is capable of playing on the left side of the pitch and in the attacking midfield position. He is accustomed to playing anywhere along the frontline and his versatile nature of play could come in handy for the Gunners boss.
Despite being 31, Willian still seems to have the energy to continue at a higher level. He can provide Arsenal with the much-needed extra goals as he did against Tottenham earlier in the campaign. His experience could also be vital for the youngsters in the squad.
Hence, Arsenal should make a move for the Brazilian, who could be available on a free transfer at the end of the season.
