Willian expected to leave Arsenal in summer transfer window

Mikel Arteta is guilty of numerous failings in his first full season in charge of Arsenal, none more noteworthy than the decision to sign Willian in the summer. What followed only made matters worse. Remarkably – beautifully – the Brazilian is now expected to leave the Gunners.

Unwilling to commit to a two-year contract extension with Chelsea, Willian became hot property across Europe with his best Premier League season for goal contributions right behind him.

Despite his age, he registered nine goals and seven assists for the Blues in 2019/20, resulting in strong links to both Arsenal, Tottenham and the ever-present Barcelona.

Ignoring his age and motivations, on form alone his signing was a worth exploring. Remove those variables and there is some substance. Those numbers with the vast experience behind them made, on paper, sense.

Willian ‘expected’ to leave Arsenal in summer transfer window with interest from European and MLS clubs

Arsenal ultimately ‘won’ that race, in turn adding someone who was expected to hit the ground running, be a mentor to the younger players and ‘challenge for the Champions League’, as well as allowing Kia Joorabchian further power in the club. One match into his Gunners career at Craven Cottage he showed those talents, putting Fulham to the sword and making early strides towards being a strong signing.

He has not replicated that since. At all.

32 years old, on a three-year contract with wages that are said to hover around the £200k-per-week mark after all kinds of add-ons and variables are attached, his acquisition has been a total disaster. A spectacular failing.

Scoring his first goal at the 37th attempt from a dead ball against West Brom, what has happened in the 35 games sandwiched in between has been an excruciating experience.

Performances lacking desire, chemistry, running and any notion of quality were allowed to continue as he racked up 1,900 minutes in red and white, minutes that were deserving of other players, namely Nicolas Pepe, as well as youngster such as Reiss Nelson who surely could not have been any worse.

With no European football to come and a mid-table finish expected, the ruthlessness of the coming squad overhaul points strongly towards significant outgoings. David Luiz has already bid farewell to Arsenal with no contract extension to follow, and, incredibly, Willian is ‘expected’ to follow suit.

Willian Has Offers to Leave Arsenal This Summer

Do no scratch your eyes. Can this really be too good to be true?

As per Fabrizio Romano, the news is that the forward will follow his close friend Luiz out of the Emirates exit doors.

"“There’s interest from European clubs and from MLS – Inter Miami wanted him last summer,” he said. “Arsenal are waiting for official bids.”"

There have been murmurs of interest from clubs in Spain and MLS, yet none have been as concrete.

This is ruthlessness. This is what an overhaul constitutes. No more passengers; no more wasted finance and no more bang average footballers.

Arteta took far too long to see the errors of his ways. Willian continued to earn minutes he wasn’t deserving of. The apparent experience he would offer the youngsters has happened in reverse with the academy stars outshining the Brazilian with every kick of the ball.

It has not worked out whatsoever. Visually it hasn’t appeared like Willian has enjoyed his football in north London, with the disinterested attitude on the pitch not aided by the resulting fan backlash off it. The vast majority of it fully justified, until it spreads into disgusting abuse that no footballer, or person, should suffer.

At this stage, it would be in the best interests of every party to cut ties: Arsenal can wipe their filthy hands clean of one of the worst transfers in their history while Willian can leave to play his career out in the relative comfort of MLS, a standard perhaps even above his ability.

Can they shift those hefty wages? If anything, another contract buyout looks like the most likely outcome with any club foolish enough to spend actual money on a transfer fee and then match those wages in need of a serious head examination.

However he leaves, in whatever manner, has to be pursued. If this is Arsenal admitting their faults, the stupidity of their supposed transfer strategy, then it’s supremely positive. Even if they haven’t and are purely doing so to remove his farcically high wages off the bill, then so be it.

Get. This. Done. The best result of the whole season.