The Brazil international winger is expected to complete a free transfer to the FA Cup winners following seven years at Stamford Bridge
It is the potential deal that has got every Arsenal fan talking.
Willian could soon be switching Stamford Bridge for the Emirates Stadium, with the Gunners hoping to lure the Brazil international across London on a free transfer from Chelsea.
Blues boss Frank Lampard wants the attacker to stay put, but so far Willian has rejected the two-year contract offer that remains on the table from Chelsea. He is holding out for a three-year deal.
Arsenal, however, are believed to be willing to give the 31-year-old what he wants , and a move could be formalised soon after the second leg of Chelsea’s last-16 Champions League tie with Bayern Munich on Saturday.
It is a possible transfer that has certainly divided opinion, and here Goal takes a look at the pros and cons.
The pros
Willian may be turning 32 next week, but he is not showing any signs of slowing up just yet. In fact, along with Christian Pulisic and Olivier Giroud, he has been one of Chelsea’s most influential players since the restart .
He has found the net four times since the Premier League returned in June and set up another three, helping Lampard’s side secure a top-four finish and a spot in the Champions League next season.
Willian scored nine league goals in total last season, more than he managed in any other league campaign for the west London outfit. He also provided seven assists, equalling his highest previous tally, which was amassed in 2017-18.
Many will point to his age and say Arsenal should be targeting younger players, but Willian has made 47 appearances in all competitions this season and has an excellent injury record. In fact, he has never played fewer than 40 games in a season since arriving at Chelsea from Anzhi Makhachkala in 2013.
And the fact that Lampard wants him to stay shows that he still has plenty to offer at the top level.
“I haven’t given up hope on it,” the Blues boss said last month, when discussing the possibility of Willian staying at Stamford Bridge.
The cons
When looking at this potential transfer, the major red flag is the fact that the deal on offer would be for three years.
Willian turns 32 next week so should he sign for Arsenal, the deal would take him through to when he is 35. While he is still playing at the top of his game right now, it is doubtful that would still be the case during the final year of that contract.
So it is understandable why Chelsea have been so insistent that they would not be budging on the two-year offer they have put on the table , despite Lampard’s desire to keep hold of the attacker.
Arsenal have consistently found it tough to move players on that have perhaps underperformed when approaching the final years of their contracts, and the last thing they need is another well-paid player seeing out a deal when his best years are behind him.
Mesut Ozil’s £350,000 ($445,000) a-week wage continues to be a millstone around the club’s neck and the German is only nine months younger than Willian. It is a similar story with Henrikh Mkhitaryan; Sokratis is another player in his 30s Arsenal would like to move on, but the defender is currently determined to see out his contract, which expires next summer.
The fear is that if Willian’s performances begin to wane after about 18 months, Arsenal would again find themselves stuck with a player they are paying handsomely.
Willian is also not a prolific goalscorer, and Arsenal desperately need more goals from the midfield areas. His failure to find the net on a regular basis has been one of the main sources of frustration among Chelsea fans during his time at Stamford Bridge, with the consistency of his performances often called into question.
The verdict
It is understandable why some Arsenal fans have their doubts about the move for Willian given his age and the length of the contract demanded.
For Arsenal, a two-year deal would clearly be the better option, or even a two-year deal with an option of a further 12 months, but an option that was heavily weighted on the club’s side.
But Willian will be a free agent this summer and is in a strong position. He is still top player, as he has shown this season with Chelsea, and has other offers – some which are believed to be more lucrative – on the table .
So if Arsenal and Arteta really want to get him on board they have to offer him what he wants, which is a three-year contract.