Wonderkid to get a chance and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang central – How Arsenal could line-up with Willian next season as Brazilian closes in on transfer
The chances, therefore, of Willian being a Chelsea player next season are extremely slim.Barcelona and David Beckham’s Inter Miami have also expressed an interest in signing the experienced star.The Brazilian is in demand after notching four goals and three assists in 10 appearances since the Premier League restart.
It looks likely at this stage he will remain in London, though, and make a short trip to the Emirates.Below, talkSPORT.com has looked at how Willian could fit in at Arsenal next season.Mikel Arteta is keen to bolster his attack and Willian would certainly provide him with extra options and a new dimension to that area.
He would slot straight into the Gunners’ front three, seemingly alongside skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and £72m man Nicolas Pepe.Willian scored nine league goals in total in 2019/20, more than he managed in any other league campaign for the west London outfit.He has also equalled his highest previous tally for assists (7), which was amassed in 2017/18.While many will argue the Gunners should be targeting younger players as Arteta continues his rebuild, but Willian has an excellent injury record and is nearly always available for selection.
He made 47 appearances for Chelsea in 2019/20, underlining his importance to Frank Lampard who has been desperate to keep the Brazilian at Stamford Bridge.One thing Arteta certainly would have been impressed with is the fact Willian has never played fewer than 40 games in a season since arriving at Chelsea from Russian outfit Anzhi Makhachkala seven years ago.His versatility will also be a huge plus. He is capable of playing on either wing and can also play in a more central role as a no.10.
Should Arteta switch to a 4-2-3-1 formation, that would also give the Spaniard plenty of options to incorporate Willian into his side.Creativity is his strong point, making an average of 1.7 chances per 90 minutes for Chelsea this season – more than any of Arsenal’s attacking players in comparison.Willian’s mentality is also strong, consistently turning up for Chelsea in the big games, as he showed against Tottenham way back in December.With Arsenal vying for Europa League glory next season, having a player of Willian’s calibre would be a huge boost for Arteta.The signing is an absolute no brainer for Arsenal, and one they must look to conclude as soon as possible.
