Arsenal: Embarrassing Willian must be sold this summer

It’s dangerous ground to walk when players are accused of not trying and/or caring. The pressure can be telling, they may just be having an off day or oftentimes fan expectation reaches unrealistic levels. However, any case for Willian caring at Arsenal is tough to build.

Pre-season is an important time of the year for a number of reasons; new players need to integrate with their new teammates; fitness has to be built up and the manager’s ideas have to be absorbed and worked upon ahead of the new campaign.

A few Arsenal players will be late to the party this summer due to their international excursions, while others had time off from the moment the Premier League season ended to recharge and come back fresh and firing.

None of the squad have more to prove than Willian, and none of the squad have come back in more of an embarrassing state than the 32-year-old. It leaves you lost for words. This defines ‘non-negotiable’.

Arsenal: Overweight Willian must be sold this summer transfer window after returning for pre-season in embarrassing condition

The Hibernian game was never going to be pleasing on the eye but watching the Brazilian ‘try’ to run on to a Sead Kolasinac pass, having been ten yards behind him, was laughable. It was more than that but that’s the word to use.

By now everyone will have seen the still images from the game surface on social media. Broadcast on the official Arsenal website it looked clear that Willian was not in good shape. The images truly run it home.

Earning 200k-per-week off the back of an atrocious debut season in north London in which even his manager could no longer defend him, to see Willian return so blatantly overweight and unfit is inexcusable. Of all the players in the squad in desperate need to coming back in lean shape, he looked like the worst.

Seeing the likes of Nicolas Pepe look fit, healthy, sharp and surprisingly fit – everyone is still allowed to be a few percent below their best after a grueling season and time off – and Kieran Tierney linking up with the squad exactly three weeks after his time with Scotland at the Euros exacerbates the situation.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was the one accused of not caring once he signed his new deal. If that’s the case than someone needs to reset the bar with Willian at the bottom.

Will he be sold? It’s going to be mightily tough to ship him off. Not only would he not need replacing but his huge wages would free up money and the extra spot in the squad can be given to someone who wants to wear the shirt. It’s a hope many cling on to.

Nobody wants to be accusing someone of lacking interest but never before has a player returned to Arsenal pre-season in such a shocking condition. Willian has serious work to do in just a few short weeks. You really can’t argue a case from him caring.