The 2019/20 Premier League season has finished and well, what a weird season it was! Emery getting the sack after a run of poor results, exiting the Europa League, players getting held up at knife point, one of our captains swearing at the fans, Arteta comes in, gets Covid-19, wins the FA Cup, we qualify for Europa….
I have probably left out many other things too! Easily one of, if not, the most dramatic seasons I have experienced as an Arsenal fan.
Thankfully, as I say, the season is in the past and now the fun begins with transfers! The summer transfer window has only been open 11 days but Arsenal appear to be making moves already, a strong indication that Mikel Arteta is keen to get business done as soon as possible with preparations for the next league campaign getting underway in only a matter of weeks.
Arsenal face Liverpool in the Community Shield on the 29th August, that is just over three weeks away, the 2020/21 Premier League season then gets underway two weeks later on September 12th.
So, you can understand why the club are keen to swoop in on their targets and strengthen the squad sooner rather than later, however, as we have seen before, patience will likely be required with certain individuals.
Take Thomas Partey for example, as it has been widely reported, he is a serious target and a player Mikel would love to bring in, but we may have to wait until Atletico Madrid’s Champions League run is over before negotiations can progress.
One transfer target we certainly haven’t had to wait around for though is Chelsea’s Willian, the players contract was coming to an end and he failed to agree new terms at Stamford Bridge. Mikel Arteta kept a close eye on the situation and requested that the board go in for him.
With the Brazilian keen to stay in London and finding the prospect of working with Arteta exciting, a deal for him to arrive at the Emirates appears to be edging closer, he will reportedly sign a three-year contract worth around £100,000 a week and it will be a free transfer.
Wilian has obviously spent the last several years playing in the Premier League, so we know a little bit about his qualities etc, but probably not as much about his personality and what both Brazilian and Chelsea fans think of him, after all, they watch him every week!
As the pace for this deal picks up, I decided to get in touch with two people who have great knowledge on the player – Chelsea Blogger Simon Phillips and Brazilian Football Journalist Renan Moura.
First off, here is what Simon had to say about the 31yr old winger:
‘Willian gets harshly criticised by some of the Chelsea fan base but the bottom line is his inconsistencies. He can be great on his day, but he can also totally disappear when things aren’t going well.
I saw a side of him i disliked when he wasn’t starting games under Conte – he sulked and was visibly unhappy rather than staying professional (the Cup emoji over Conte’s face on IG for example). He seemed to cause a stir in the dressing room as well.
In his defence I always felt he is a much better number 10 playing centrally rather than wide, because he is not a natural direct winger.
He prefers to cut inside rather than beat his man and get to the byline, he also has a bad habit of slowing the play down too much when you’d rather he moved the ball quickly.
But to sum him up, he’s a decent player, but the majority of Chelsea supporters are ready for him to leave and believe now is the right time to part ways. Others believe he should have been sold years ago. And others adore him!
So its all about opinions I guess. Mine? He’s a good player, but nothing special. I’ll always respect him for his service with Chelsea and wish him luck, but I’m pleased we are finally parting ways.’
So, they’re the views of a Chelsea fan, but what does the Brazlian Journalist think of Willian? Renan is full of praise for him:
‘Willian left Corinthians very young, at 18 years old. We had little time to watch his football in the country. We know that he stood out a lot in Ukraine until he made history for Chelsea. He is a trusted player of coach Tite, so much so that he was called upon to replace Neymar in the 2019 Copa America.
It is undeniable that he has been important to the Blues over the past few years in the Premier League, being considered one of the pillars of the team, but Lampard wants to rejuvenate the team and due to his age, he would hardly have a place in the squad.
With the Brazilian Edu Gaspar being the Technical Director of Arsenal, there is a possibility for Willian to continue being a protagonist with Arteta. Willian has already adapted in England, that also makes a difference. I think he can fit in at Arsenal very well.
Willian has always been a very calm player off the field. We have never heard that he was involved in any confusion or trouble. In football, he is also a calm player and is not a media player like Neymar. His focus has always been on playing football.’
A massive thank you to both Simon (@SiPhillipsSport) and Renan (@renanmouraglobo) for giving us more of an insight into Willian, it was certainly interesting to get their thoughts on the player and find out what he will bring to the club.
Overall, I will be pleased with the addition. Reiss Nelson is 20yrs old, Saka 18, Martinelli 19 and Pepe is still only 25. Willian, soon to be 32, will not only add extra quality and depth, but he will also add much needed experience in an area where youth has a strong presence.
He is still looking very fit and sharp today, plus it will be a free transfer, so I don’t have much of an issue with it to be honest. As long as the board focus on strengthening other areas of the squad as well, such as central defence and central midfield, I will be very pleased.
Let’s wait and see, the transfer window shuts on October 5th, so there is plenty of time for Arsenal to get their business done.