Why Chelsea must hold on to Willian amidst Barcelona interest
According to The Mirror, Chelsea are facing a fight to keep Willian beyond the transfer deadline after Barcelona launched a £20m move.
The report also adds that Willian has been coveted by the La Liga giants for more than a year and a string of bids for the Brazilian was turned down last summer. But with his contract set to expire, Barcelona have made another attempt for him.
On the other hand, Chelsea boss Frank Lampard is free to make new signings after their two-window transfer ban was halved in December.
The manager has been forced to play with the youngsters available at his disposal for the majority of the season. Despite doing well, the Blues have often struggled in the big games at home, dropping 18 points from a possible 36 by throwing away leads and losing games on their own turf.
The manager needs reinforcements but at the same time, he must retain the forwards at his disposal for the time being. And Willian’s exit would only add to their crisis.
Willian, 31, has established himself as a key figure for Chelsea since moving to Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2013. He has helped the club lift two Premier League titles, one FA Cup and a Europa League trophy in his 7 seasons with the Blues.
He has made over 300 appearances in Chelsea colours and his experience would be crucial for the side, which consists mainly of youngsters in the attacking unit. He has proven to be a match-winner on many occasions for the Blues and still continues to play regularly.
In 23 league games this term, Willian has scored and assisted 4 times each despite failing to make it to Lampard’s team sheet initially.
With Pedro being out of favour, the 31-year-old continues to be a vital presence up front alongside star striker Tammy Abraham. The Brazilian can be trusted to get the extra goals, as he has already bagged 57 for the club.
Verdict
The 31-year-old is still playing regularly for Lampard and his game-changing qualities were quite evident during the game against Tottenham earlier in the league season. Therefore, Chelsea must immediately extend Willian’s contract at the club to further quell the advances of any potential suitors.
