Arsenal have confirmed that Willian has joined the club on a free transfer with reports suggesting he’s penned a three-year deal worth £250,000 a week – although that includes his basic of £100,000, a large signing on fee paid across the duration of the deal, and bonuses.
The 32-year-old Brazil international moves across London from Chelsea after seven years at Stamford Bridge during which he won two Premier League titles, the FA Cup, the League Cup and the Europa League. He also has a host of Ukrainian medals to his name after starting his career in Europe with Shakhtar Donetsk and Anzhi Makhachkala.
It’s believed the midfielder was keen on staying at Chelsea but when they only offered him a two-year contract his representative, Kia Joorabchian, started looking at other options.
Given the agent’s relationship with our Head of Football, Raul Sanllehi, and Technical Director, Edu, the rumours of a move to Arsenal were quick to surface and have been bubbling along for some months.
In the last 12 months both Cedric Soares and David Luiz have been placed at Arsenal by Joorabchian, who also had a role in Alex Iwobi’s move to Everton. Willian and Edu were also part of the same Brazil set-up that won the 2019 Copa America.
In making the switch from SW6 to N5, Willian joins a list that includes the aforementioned Luiz, Petr Cech, Yossi Benayoun, Lassana Diarra, William Gallas, Colin Pates, Stewart Houston and George Graham. He also becomes the third Brazilian in the first team squad.
Willian, who will wear the number 12 shirt, will join up with his new teammates in a couple of weeks as they start their preparations for the 2020/21 season.
We look forward to seeing what he brings to the squad.
Let’s give him a fair chance. He’s pretty damn good on his day, and we should trust in Arteta. COYG!
Yep he seems to know what he wants, and presumably he signed off on this
Agree we should give him a fair chance. Would have been a very exciting deal 3 years ago but seems expensive at 32 years old – at £250K a week, its £13M a year and £39M over 3 years!
Hope Arteta has some grand plans because its not our most pressing area in this window, when money is said (and likely) to be tight.
I’m choosing to see this as a fucking coup. He could have stayed at Chelsea where they have more money to spend on players and therefore a better chance of titles, a hungry young manager trying to take the club to the next level and CL football next year. But he didn’t. He came to arsenal because we have the best young manager in the world, a collection of bright young talent that needs mature experienced heads to guide them, we are a club that are going places and will be challenging for the title in 2-3 years and an… Read more »
Double like
he couldn’t have stay at chelsea they didn’t even offer him a two year deal as is claimed his agent only said this too generate more interest in him getting the best deal possible
He is good on his day. He is a player I certainly have personally admired for some time. Seems a good lad and was one of the few that seemed to want to play football even when the rest of the squad downed tools under Maureen…. not sure if thats a positive or not.. but I don’t get the impression he’ll be looking for an easy retirement, or that he’d be satisfied warming the bench. Positive outlook: He really could add to this team for a year or two, and once markets normalise maybe we could still send him to… Read more »
Of course we should give him a fair chance but it’s a much bigger wage than expected. There could be (but I hope not) an echo here of another, even more, expensive deal that the club agreed to that didn’t work out … and we’re still paying the price for (literally).
Welcome Willian, weve got two willies in now wonder who’s next.
Will Hughes
William carvalho
Will. I. AM ?
Will.I.Ain’t
Not a bad squad addition in all honesty
Not bad. Expensive.
£250k a week?! I thought they were reporting it was going to be £100k before.
Ridiculous waste of money. We haven’t learnt.
I doubt that number is right.
The £100k is his basic wage – the £250k (£220k I saw somewhere else) is the all-in with the signing on fee amortised across it.
In other words, somewhere in the region £6-8m a year for 3 years in bonus payments on top of the salary. In effect, similar to paying a transfer fee of ~£15m and £100k a week wages with lower bonuses/signing on fees – which really doesn’t look like the cheap, sensible no brainer option it was easier to justify this signing as initially when the rumours appeared.
If it still works out to 250k a week no matter what we play with the fees, then it’s simply too much money and too long of a contract.
I really thought we would target decent young players and rebuild from there kind of like what Chelski are doing…
“I really thought we would target decent young players and rebuild from there kind of like what Chelski are doing…” I’m not trying to be disrespectful here but isn’t that a little simplistic? Everyone is trying to outsmart the market and find a Martinelli before they become a Henry. If it was as easy as saying it, the same (richest) teams wouldn’t keep dominating the top four. It’s not a bad strategy but it has to balanced with a short term game too. We need to be in the champions league ASAP. Willian is the bridge. It’s not like we… Read more »
That would make it £39 million in fees over the three years – with sign on / agent fees it will be north of £40 million.
Will be interesting to see what he brings the team, and of course I’ll support him – it’s not his fault he’s getting paid so much – but can’t see how this is a wise move given were apparently short of cash.
Guys it appears we are forgetting something here; What is a good price to sign a player like willian in todays market? £20/40M?. If Ainsley Maitland-Niles is worth £20/30M?. in 3 years, Willian will cost Arsenal ONLY 40M? The same as a signon fee for a player of his caliber.
From what I understand those 250k a week are :
1 – His base salary
2 – His signing bonus broken down on a weekly basis
3 – Some performance based money Which is not fully guaranteed
4 – Kia continuing to milk the cow.
Don’t worry, we have 55 staff subsidizing the operation.
So sick of the way this club is run…
Sadly, so it seems…
Fuck me, 250K?????!!!
And THREE years!!!
Fuck me twice!
* And THREE years!!!
Fuck me thrice
more like 3×52=156 times
I love how adept we’ve all become with numbers
It’s as if there’s no current brouhaha over paying a massive weekly wage to a player the wrong side of 30, on a long contract…
I think in this case, it’s worth clarifying 2 years the wrong side of 30. ?
Indeed, fuck all of us.
No transfer fee.
If we’re talking #12s I’d rather have had Giroud back, frankly! Using us as a retirement home for Chelsea players really hasn’t helped us recently, can’t say I’m enthused about this one.
I’m so tired of this whole ‘chelsea reject’ narrative. Who have we taken from them in the past decade? Benayoun was one of the most productive loan signings I can remember us making. Cech disappointed in the end, but was hardly a car crash and was seen by many as a very decent signing at the time. And as for David Luiz, for his couple of stupid sending offs at Anfield and the Etihad, we don’t beat City and Chelsea to win the cup without him at the centre of our defence. Contrast the Europa League final last year where… Read more »
No one is disputing luiz has had good games, it’s more that he’s pretty expensive for a roll the dice player. Add to that he has no resale value and that’sthe problem. The same thing will happen with Willian he will be decent for this year maybe next and then will become expensive deadwood for the last year with no resale value. For a club that is supposedly so hard up it culls the scouting team it’s a poor piece of business unless he helps us into a cl spot. At best it’s another big gamble.
Spot on mate. Willian had just had one of his better seasons for Chelsea too.
They ALWAYS have their best year right before signing a new deal. Hopefully he doesn’t coast like Ozil after signing da ting.
I recall Cech costing us key games a number of times, that stupid #AgentCech joke drove me spare. As for Luiz, five bloody penalties is absolutely unacceptable from anybody, nevermind someone of his experience. In what way did shuffling him out of the way make Chelsea’s defence weaker? I’d take Rudiger or Christensen over Luiz any day. Sorry, Luiz has cost us at vital moments and I really didnt see him make any impact in the Final, a few naff passes and not much else. I’m really hoping with Saliba and someone else playing we can see as little of… Read more »
250k a week? Wow….Just wow!!
Calm down folks; the 55 redundancies will cover a good chunk of it ?
Good player. I think arsenal has signed him for AM role. He has the vision and drive necessary for playing in that position. Given that we were open to signing cazorla at 35 willian seems like an good option as well.
Wow, 250,000 a week, we will be paying him that when he is 35.
We won’t though. He has literally just turned 32. So when his contract will expire, he’ll still be 34 (the three years will likely end either end June, or end July). I get we normally have fun with the ‘he’s 31 until he’s 32’ but just because he’s a few days over 32 doesn’t suddenly make him in more decline massively than someone in their late 31s. It’s not an overnight switch of decline. I’m not defending the wages or the fees involved – I don’t really have an opinion at it’s not my money – but I’m quite excited… Read more »
So a 3 year old contract to a 32 year old? Really hope Raul or whoever makes these transfers gets fired as quickly as possible. Weve become the new AC Milan.
Also 250k?? Are you absolutely insane!! You literally fired 55 people a couple of days ago, and now we are offering that kind of money to ageing players….
think he will do wonders in a central role, his legs havent given in quite yet and so I hope he can still do the team pressing arteta wants.
If he can he will do great as his attacking prowess is without question, people saying hes a chelsea reject or washed up etc. 2018-2019 he was chelsea’s POTS
I hope his legs will be good for three years because at 250k a week we’ll need him to deliver for the duration.
We will sell him after two.
And it’s not EXACTLY £250kpw. But yeah hate hate hate
I hate his fucking agent. No beef between Willian and me. He seems alright. Not sure he’s 250k a week for 3 years alright but I don’t hold that against him. That’s on those who run the club if it doesn’t pan out. I hope it does.
There’s a bit of hope with Kia though, it will be in his interests to get a final willian pay day in 2 years where he will sign for inter Miami or similar for 8m
oooooooofff!! 250k a week? sheeeesh.
Sorry gang, but 250k a week for a 32 year old, to paraphrase Liverpool, ‘what the hell are we smoking?’ I hope I am proven wrong but this feels <gritting teeth emoji’
It’s obvious this Kia slimebag has his greasy hands all over us and all we can do is sit here and take it. I feel like I need a shower. A long one!
The numbers I read is 100 k a week, but he has + 1 year to make it a fourth year. With bonuses the total cost would bee 35 million.
250000/week! Are Raul, Edu and Vinai completely mental…? In no way is he worth that and he’s now impossible to move on in a years time when he’s going into full retirement a la Ozil.
Blog! Anzhi Makhachkala is not an Ukrainian club, but Russian.
I sincerely hope it isn’t that much as that is ridiculous!
Good player but 250k per week (if correct) is something we’ll regret.
I think he’s gonna be a good signing. I hope Arteta plays him as an attacking midfielder. Great at dribbling in tight spaces, can pick a pass, good shot from outside the box and fantastic work rate. But at 250k/week is too much. 100k a week sounds about right.
He’s got something to offer but I still can’t get my head around this deal. Even if you change the finances a bit and think of this like a 17 million signing on 150,000 a week, in 3 seasons we will be paying a 35 year old 150,000. Plus we’ve lost a good chunk of money that we could spend on a player with more longevity and better resale value + an actual specialist in a position we desperately need rather than another winger / attacking midfielder.
I think time would tell with this one. Although unlikely, there’s a chance he could still be of a decent standard at 35 (technically his contract would be over before he turns 35). Also, as he was signed for free we could make some profit selling him off to China/USA/Middle East after 2 years. I’m actually quietly optimistic with this signing.
What are his stat in FIFA 20?
94 OVR
I know he’s a free transfer, but 32 year olds rarely go for more than about £5m anyways. And we are now going to spend £13 million every year on his wages? I’m sorry but that is a collosal waste of money.
I really hope that figure is incorrect. I really really do. As Jurgen Klopp said, how can Liverpool sign players after asking them to take a wage cut.
Liverpool just won everything.
We are in the middle of a rebuild.
Welcome Willian! I look forward to see what he brings to the table, and that he justifies his insane wage!
To be fair, whenever we played Chelsea before, he was always one of the ones I worried about when I saw his name on the team sheet, so it could be potentially a decent signing
Agreed. He was always a bit of a nightmare with his workrate and seemed like a real thorn in the side of a fullback. I’m cautiously optimistic on the football side, the business side….idk.
250k for 3 years for a 32 year old in a position where we have an abundance of players? What are we thinking? Have we learnt nothing from the Ozil situation? Where is the money coming from when we can’t keep 55 staff members on our payroll? Wtf!
I am a big Özil critic and he screwed us royally by getting that contract and turning into such an underperformer, but not everybody is like that. As a fan I can neither judge the character of Özil, nor the character of Willian before they actually unveil their behaviour during their stint at our club, because I have never met them. But Raul and Co are sitting on the same table with them before handing contracts to them. It is their job and obligation to judge, if these people are greedy gold diggers or actually want to perform at whatever… Read more »
He is a good player but I want Ozil, Guendouzi, Elneny and Mustafi off the books, I want the league cup and europa league trophies next season. Then proper challenge for premier league in 2 years.
Colin Pates! The memories!
Yeah, and look what happened then. Bye bye European Cup (as it was known back in ‘91)
“Former Chelsea winger Willian stands to earn £35million over three years at Arsenal after agreeing a deal with the Gunners that will effectively see him earn £220,000-a-week.” – EFFECTIVELY. Bad to report on it as if it is fact. It includes bonuses (which may or may not be met), probably his signing on fee. Bad journalism.
I’m pretty sure we could have bought Buendia for a very similar price…
Unfortunately all Buendias have disappeared in a vortex/whirlwind type cataclysm after one hundred years of solitude.
YES. We need some magical realism.
That said we do not need players like Buendia.
Wasn’t the 250k reported on Daily Mail? I can’t see us paying that much for him.
249k then.
Wow, this came out of nowhere!!!
Ok I’ll try to ignore the financial part : Willian can bring a lot to this team. He’s as good as he’s versatile, he’s not injury prone (strange thing to say as he’s currently injured) and he has always been a hard worker.
I think that he absolutely can help us get on the next level.
Absolutely buzzing and without a huge fee to pay.
You really had to get your Kia agenda going by inserting a thoroughly unsubstantiated rumour which just surfaced on &250k/week.
It’s becoming quite tiring, ridiculous and considerably lowers your value in the eyes of so many.
I hope you are feeling glum from the comments.
Just drop it
And he had to do it in the first sentence
Kia, is that you?
Completely agree with you. And everybody just eats it up. Nobody gave a damn about wages until the whole Kia angle came into the picture (and the media wrote about how much Luiz was getting paid). It isn’t even confirmed that we’re paying him that much. Plus, wherever it’s been reported, they’ve clearly mentioned that’s it’s including bonuses, which are of course not all guaranteed.
So many arsenal fans want to prove how financial prudent they are. Is this a hangover of Wenger’s penny pinching? a way to prove how clever you are? Let’s get back to supporting the football being played on the pitch, backing Arteta’s project.
Except it wasn’t Wenger’s penny pinching, it was Kroenke’s. ?
Wenger said it himself if he was given 100m he would give back and Kroenke spunked 72m for Pepe so I doubt it.
250k a week on a high risk player bc. of age fuck off. He’s probably our ‘big’ signing too this window.
Here come all the swat accountancyFC experts. When did supporting arsenal become virtue signaling all of your finacial thriftiness.
Exactly. Only the ‘true fans’ bitch and moan, picking holes in their own team. Those who shout the loudest about problems are the most knowledgeable apparently.
Yeah, only the ‘true fans’ keep quiet whilst the club slips down the table, eh mate?
Those of us with any concerns clearly don’t support the club nearly half as much.
Jeez….?
Being in the unfortunate position of having a lot of Chelsea-supporting friends, I’m pleased to say they’re all fuming they’ve let us have him.
One of my chelsea mates said ‘he’s one dimensional always does the same thing’ I couldn’t tell if he was mega salty or not. It was straight after the fa cup win so yeah pretty salty I recon.
Decent player on his day but 250k a week!?! Fuck sake were shite with money.
name a player as good as Willian we could have gotten for cheaper. Base salary of 100k a week and 10m over 3 years. So name a player that we could have gotten for 10m transfer fee and 100k a week that would be as good as Willian… Even Ollie Watkins would cost us more. But our front line doesn’t need young and exciting. We’ve got that in spades. We needed experience and depth. It’s not a bad piece of business if we were going to get a player in that position.
250K a week? Fuckin hell.. We never learn!
Willian’s a good player but financially this is a terrible, terrible move for the club. The leadership team should be ashamed considering the context of redundancies, wage cuts and reduced income for the club
Watch me balance my spreadsheet… ffs,
Forget the agent and finances. Welcome to the club and let’s start a fresh season!
That’s not dust you’re sweeping under the carpet, it’s topsoil.
The extra 100k per week is equivalent to a transfer fee of about 15m which is fair for Willian’s age and quality. He is Premier League ready and a world class player and we badly need these kind of players to get back into the CL. Even if he plays 2 full good seasons he can be a useful sub during his final season…
Well, if he’s still got it then great. He’s a good player. I’m just still not sure that we needed him that much despite our troubles. The young players we have will only get better and I hope this doesn’t hinder them. Now that he’s here though I wish him all the best. He clearly saw where the better place to be is at the cup final 🙂 Still, I’d rather we had a scouting network than be spending loads on weekly wages for players with no resale value and/or who don’t perform. £250,000 a week is crazy. I had… Read more »
Although he is a good players but it fails to enthuse me mainly because it is not a future oriented signing. I hope he doesn’t eat up minutes of Martinelli or Saka and curb their development. If the wage touted north of 200 grands then it is an expensive signing considering what as a club we are going through!! All the best to Willian, hope he turns out well for us.
So this is why Mesut Ozil no longer gets picked, eh Kroenke? This is the answer? A bang average player in the twilight of his career on 250k a week for three years. And we have the front to emblazon our shirts with the word ‘Forward.’ No disrespect to the guy, good in his day, but now very average. Willing to give him a chance (as supporters of this club, do we have any choice in the matter?) but all the same, seriously underwhelmed. Trying to see positives in this but, then again, this is Kroenke’s Arsenal; not what you’d… Read more »
Calling him average is quite disrespectful to be fair.
For a club turning it’s nose up at Mesut Ozil, he’s bang average.
Well by that definition so is Ozil. One great performance in over a year.
I think these are two great players who are not as good as they used to be but still neither is average.
Yesterday I read he’s on 100k/pw, which is 20k less than what he was on at Chelsea.
I doubt he’ll be on 250 considering what the club are going through with Mesut and possibly having the same happen in a couple years time, and with letting 55 people go.
Are they on crack?
Well over £30 million for the three years contact and that for a 32 year old who has little/no resale value. Well, let’s all hope he’s a success from Day 1, but as importantly, continues to be over that period. We can expect departures soon I think as this deal and the prospective one for Auba is putting the wage bill through the roof, just when the club’s income is diving.
Welcome Willy! I love this player. Hope he has a few good years left.
His bank manager does, at least.