According to a recent report by Spanish news outlet Marca, European super-club Barcelona are said to be considering a summer move for Chelsea’s Brazilian international winger Willian, with a view of taking him to the Nou Camp when his contractual tenure at Chelsea gets terminated at the end of the season. It is said that the Pensioners have already tried to tie the speedster down to new deal at Stamford Bridge, but that the former Shakhtar Donetsk man is keen on a change of scenery starting next year.
The Brazilian’s contract is set to expire on the 30th of June, meaning that the pre-contract talks can now be conducted with the player. The report suggests that Barcelona’s interest in the Chelsea winger has been long-standing and that they’ve met with the player’s agents and other representatives on multiple occasions in the past. The Blaugrana are claimed to have come close to securing a transfer for the 31-year-old in 2018, only for the deal to break down in the last minute.
How Was Willian’s Season At Chelsea This Year?
The tricky Brazil international started the season as a regular in Frank Lampard’s team, as he was often preferred over the Spanish veteran Pedro out on the flanks. The winger has the ability to play on either wing positions for Chelsea, effectively guaranteeing him a place in the first-team. While Christian Pulisic initially made one of the wing slots his own, the recent resurgence of Callum Hudson-Odoi has made the selection situation even stickier for the manager.
The South American winger is the most experienced head available to Lampard up front, and his general contributions to the side cannot be underplayed. Although the speedster performance levels have dropped over the last couple of months, there’s no denying that Chelsea wouldn’t be in the top four if it weren’t for Willian’s exploits down the flanks in a royal blue shirt. The 31-year-old has featured in 24 league games for the Pensioners and has picked up a decent tally of four goals and four assists.
Why This Could Be The Right Time To Let Willian Leave
A fan-favourite at Stamford Bridge, the Brazilian was offered the famous number ten shirt after Eden Hazard’s departure last season. Over the years, the winger has been a hallmark for long-term consistency, as he’s never allowed his displays to fall below a certain standard. Those trademark whipping shots with the right boot have won over the hearts of Chelsea fans aplenty, while the free-kick goals he has scored adds to his legend.
Despite his respectable status at Stamford Bridge, it’s quite visible in recent performances that the playmaker doesn’t have the energy or pace to keep up such a dynamic playing style for the entire ninety minutes. The Blues currently find themselves in fourth place on the league table and have a Champions League date against Bayern Munich looming on the horizon. Whether or not he does eventually end up moving to Barcelona, it’s safe to say that the Blues wouldn’t have achieved half of what they would have done over the last seven years if it wasn’t for Willian’s timely efforts down the flank. Still at 31, the time could indeed be right for Chelsea to let go of the past and move on in search of a rewarding future.
