There may be reports linking Willian with a summer exit but the player certainly isn’t talking like he’s on the verge of a hasty Arsenal exit.
After David Luiz, also Willian is expected to leave Arsenal this summer. ⚪️🔴 #AFC
There’s interest from European clubs and from MLS – Inter Miami wanted him last summer. Arsenal are waiting for official bids. 🇧🇷 #Willian #transfers
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 16, 2021
Speaking to Brazilian publication Lance, the midfielder’s focus seems to be on better adapting to life at the Emirates in the hope an upturn in form next season might seal him a place in the Brazil squad for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Having missed out on a call-up for his country’s Copa America campaign – the tournament is being co-hosted by Argentina and Colombia this summer – the 32-year-old, who has 70 caps to his name (but none since November 2019), is determined to win over head coach Tite.
“My goal is to return to the Brazilian team and play the next World Cup,” he said. “I know that the moment is not appropriate for my return because of the difficult season I had, but I want to get back to playing well and regularly and being productive with goals and assists, as I was at Chelsea, so I can represent Brazil.”
He added: “Each coach has his own way of working and each club has a philosophy of play. I was used to a more physical, intense training system. At Arsenal, with Arteta, we work much more on the tactical issue, aiming and opponent. I must respect this and I must adapt to this new model.
“I had a good start [at Arsenal] and I never had many injuries, I always played regularly [during my career], but I was out on three occasions this year. That’s why I couldn’t be Willian of Chelsea. I hope to return to my high level and a bad season does not define my qualities and my potential. I still want to win titles.”
I don’t hate him he’s just not for us and never was going to be.
Sounded like he wasn’t necessarily pushing to join us a yr ago either.
I get Arteta’s and Edu’s idea of finding experienced players to help our youngsters grow, but it was a clear miss here. Hopefully Pepe will now regarded as experienced enough to play that role next year (even if I suspect his attitude is not considered as much exemplary as Chelsea Willian’s at the time).
Pépé needs to finally prove himself and not trying to be a leader. Still can’t match stats Walcott had yet. He’s been performing exactly like Oxlade-Chamberlain. The unsuccessful trickeries, the rare cracking goal and not too fast in la cabeza.
I’ve quite enjoyed watching AOC getting frozen out at Liverpool. I know that’s harsh as he seems like a good bloke but it’s about time we actually sold a player and got great value on the sale.
If he had gone on to be a worldie, that would’ve been a really hard pill to swallow. Turns out he is actually just a bit shit.
He has been hampered by injuries at times (as he was at Arsenal), he has shown great promise (as he did at Arsenal, though he is getting a bit old for promise), and though he seems one half-notch below where he would be an automatic selection (as was true at Arsenal), he can be considered a valuable addition to the squad (you know the next phrase). Wenger believed that Oxlade-Chamberlain had a habit of focusing on his errors rather than his successes. Without playing the tele-psychoanalyst, I suspect that this basic lack of confidence, rather than any lack of quality,… Read more »
Would agree with all of that, and it was also telling that Klopp came out to apologise for his lack of football, blaming the need to keep a consistent team. They do like him over there, but I wonder if they like him enough for him to stay when he can definitely get more football elsewhere.
Southgate said he would have been a certain pick for the 2018 WC squad if he stayed fit. So to not even be in the conversation for these Euros must be truly galling for him, will definitely give him food for thought at least.
It started out pretty well for him tbf but injuries etc, the same old story as with us. This season has been a disaster for him, at least professionally, wouldn’t be surprised if he moves on for more football a la Lingard.
In Wenger we trust(ed)
A bit surprised by the dislikes, it’s actually true that he hasn’t matched Walcott yet (Ox isn’t a true winger so that’s not a great comparison). Pepe has talent but still has a lot to prove, next season is absolutely critical for him.
I am surprised some of us see Marhez, Sterling and Gnabry play and don’t seem to want much more from Pépé.
He wasn’t. Him and Mrs didn’t want to leave Chelsea or london so joined us for 200 grand a week on a three year contract. I think it’s probably the worse business we have ever done.
Including Sanchez/ Miki?
Why wouldn’t they want him to play for his country? Considering how awesome he’s been in the last year and all. What are they thinking?
Your name truly represents your personality
A Willian fan.
Quick, someone call David Attenborough.
And you sir might benefit from changing your name to “Sarcazmo No Comprendo”. Just so we can see you coming next time.
He could always train harder and have a tactical approach..
Interesting insight actually into how we over complicate our approach to each match. Arteta will have a whole week next season between games to make everyones head spin.
Bloody hell, the amount of people I heard on here and in real life, complaining that Wenger “doesn’t do tactics” and “doesn’t prepare us for the opposition”. Well we have a manager that does that, relentlessly and to some good effect I might add, when it comes to big 6 opponents. Now we get moaning that we are trying to “prepare too much” 😂
I disagree with blogs view there. he definitely is talking of wanting away this summer. He clearly mentions his desire for further titles…
If that’s what motivates him, then would “Sir Willian” motivate him to move away? Can we use that as a leverage? Promise to knight him if he moves to MLS or to be again with his pal Mou?
When I saw the page I thought for one beautiful blissful micro second that he had accepted an offer of employment elsewhere.
A microsecond later, when I had read the headline, my heart sank.
Whatever else you may or may not do Arsenal, for the love of God, get rid of this waster.
Luiz and Willian both blaming arsenal for their bad seasons. Both can piss off
Haha though I also kinda blame Arsenal for my bad season too…
Willian leaving this summer, always seemed too good to be true
We do so really weird things, but offering Willian a 3yr deal, is right up there
Willian, thanks for Fulham away 2020 but it’s time to say goodbye
Let’s hope he reads these posts.
Swallow fails to make summer, again.
We deserve a lucky break and if that is Willian finding another club, I’ll take it!!
There are more than enough options in a versatile front line to cover the right wing, Saka, Pepe, Smith-Rowe and Martinelli are all in front of Willian.
For him to leave in the summer, any club will (presumably) have to at least match the deal he’s got with us. The question is, will anyone do that? I don’t know, but it seems unlikely given his age etc. You never know though.
The only other option I can see is to buy him out of his remaining contract with us. That would be pretty expensive, based on his reported wages, and I guess we don’t really want to spend resources doing that again (after those in January).
It is not carved on granite he must match his wages here somewhere else.
He wants to be back in the Brazilian set up; and if there is one thing Arteta got right, it was reducing to a bit-part player as the season wore on.
I don’t see that changing next season…if he sticks around.
If he truly wants to go to the world cup, he’d want to play more regularly; and if money stands in the way, then his desire is suspect. After all, he is already a millionaire many times over.
We would pay out some of his wages. Some club can sign him for £75k a week, and upon parting ways we give him a check for two years x £125k. Then we’d have that £75k per week to spend on other wages without altering the bottom line. It’s what we did to unload Özil, although there were morale benefits in that case, too.
On the other hand, his stated aim is to play his way back into Brazil and if he’s told he’s on the periphery here, he may take a drop in wages just to get the game time?
He cant be short of a few bob after 7 years of oligarch salary levels.
I think this there is a very interesting comment in this about training. I’ve often wonder if Arteta might be over-thinking and over intelectualising the process with the players – filling them with a lot of tactical information/ideas….rather than working them through a physical / experiential developmental process….
it just hasn’t worked for him. would be great if arsenal can move him on this summer, in a quite difficult market. equally, pls don’t make the same mistake re Bertrand
Hair today gone tomorrow. (Hopefully)
If he’s really serious about playing well to get back into the World Cup squad, then offer to let him go for free.
But no paying part of his wages or anything. Give him an ultimatum. Stay at Arsenal and train but don’t play, or leave amicably for nothing leaving him open to finding a new club.
No more of this paying players to leave.
I like this.
The problem with that is that once he realizes he’s never getting back into the Brazil side, he might just take us up on that offer and be the world’s second-highest paid amateur Fortnite player.
I would’ve preferred to have kept David Luiz another year, he made the odd mistake, but the defence was more organised when he was playing, plus he offered incisive passing and aerial depth, he was also good for the young players. Now he’s gone, we again have to rely on the fact that Saliba will replace him when he comes in, which may be the case, but by no means a certainty.
What IS a certainty is that Luiz needed replacing. He’s 34 already.
Enough of these short-term fixes. Luiz wasn’t what we needed when he was 32, I doubt he will be when he’s 35.
Saliba will (hopefully) play and either be good enough or not, but in either case, he’s likely to improve.
It’s all downhill with Luiz.
Luiz is a crutch that Arteta relied on way too much instead of developing Mari/Holding/Gabriel (Injuries granted)
Saliba should be considered as well but Arteta seems to have a hard time man managing more prickly players which is a shame.
Guendouzi another one who is a bit of a tit but clearly a talent which will otherwise go to waste.
Good radiant to bad rubbish
Feel he coasted through games. The fact he w a n k e d off with that steak dude in Greece should have been punished harder. He still continued to coast after that.
Dubai* but equally as w a n k y
Wait is it Salt Bae you’re referring to? That butcher that does the strange poses?😂😂😂
Didn’t even know about this. Thought he travelled to sign some contracts. Now I’m even more annoyed there was no punishment whatsoever.
Arteta and his “non-negotiables” 🐄 💩
Remember the days when Barca, Real and Juve sniffed round our players in the summer?
Man City, United and Chelsea too. Now we’re returning the favor
The inexperience of Edu will cost us.
Yeah, and not in a good way
Good news that BOTH geriatric Brazilians will not be extended. Hopefully we get rid of Edu as well. We need better people with firm experience in market. These players brought in were crutches. 1) Arteta has tinkered too much at the back. He needed to settle on a regular pairing to establish some familiarity but there has been constant flux some legitimate bc of injury but others wholly unnecessary. Luiz was in bc of his passing from deep but otherwise depending on him was staying in the past. 2) Willian also a waste of space. Would have preferred to have… Read more »
Unrelated to this post but Dani Ceballos. I think Arteta may be wrong on him on a number of counts ; 1) I don’t think he is being played to advantahe in deep midfield. Certainly he should be encouraged to develop in that position but frankly I think he is better higher in the ESR position or as part of a tandem there. He is a bit of an instigator with an eye for a good final pass where he is more of a liability deeper. 2) His aggression is again also BOTH strength and liability. many times we complain… Read more »
At least he is aware that he has not played to the required standard. Let’s hope a move to the USA or somewhere works out.
Speaking of Ceballos, attacking midfield, Odegaar, options etc…one player I do not mind us keeping a TIGHT eye on is Orsic.
He plays nominally from the left side but can play in attacking third more centrally
Excellent player… if likely snapped up by bigger teams.
The Willian of five or so years ago was brilliant, the current Willian is past it I’m afraid.
The Arsenal need to take a long hard look at the involvement some of the so-called super-agents have had with Edu & co in signing off on some of these very expensive yet worthless deals.