A former midfielder of Willian’s soon-to-be new club is already excited by his impending arrival.
The Brazilian’s time in west London looks to be over after a contractual conflict between him and the Chelsea board. His demand for a three-year deal wasn’t met and he is set to depart when his current deal expires.
He looks to have played his last game for the Blues as he won’t be featuring in this night’s second leg fixture vs Bayern.
In an interview with Daily Star, Paul Merson was quoted saying :
Willian would be an unbelievable signing for Arsenal,”
“I think Willian is a special player who ticks all the boxes. I can’t believe Chelsea are letting him go to be honest.
“I know he’s 31 and wanted a three-year contract but football is all about now, and right now he’s a great player. No manager is thinking about what might happen in three or four years’ time.
“They need results now, so it’s no surprise to me Frank Lampard doesn’t want him to go. Arteta won’t be Arsenal manager forever. He needs to win now. Willian can help him do that.
“He’s a special player and a blinding signing in my opinion. Okay, he probably won’t be pulling up any trees in his third year, but who cares? He ticks every box.Article continues below
“He won’t have to settle in London because he’s been here for years and his family love the place. He won’t have to adapt to a new league because he’s already a proven performer for a top club here.
“So he should be able to hit the ground running because he won’t need loads of time to adapt like a player coming in for big money from a foreign club.
“He’s quick and he works hard and he has plenty of experience. He also has that guile that Arsenal sometimes lack. He could even play as a No.10.”
The coming seasons will prove if Merson is right after all but for now, fingers are crossed ahead of Willian’s arrival. It will also be interesting to see how he fits into the Arsenal attack.
