Arsenal have bolstered their attacking options for next season by signing Brazil international Willian on a three-year deal following his departure from Chelsea.
Willian’s contract with Chelsea expired after their Champions League tie with Bayern Munich and Arsenal have beaten off competition from Barcelona and Inter Miami to sign the 32-year-old.
Willian made 47 appearances for Chelsea in all competitions last season and finished in fine form, with four Premier League goals after the restart taking his tally for the season to nine.
“I believe he’s a player that can really make a difference for us,” said Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta.
Willian, who will wear No 12 at Arsenal, won two Premier League titles, an FA Cup and the Europa League during his seven years at Chelsea.
I believe he’s a player that can really make a difference for us.
Mikel Arteta on Willian
Arteta added: “We have been monitoring him for the past few months, we had a clear intention to strengthen in the attacking midfielder and the winger positions [and] he is a player that gives us a lot of versatility, he can play in three or four different positions.
“He has the experience of everything in the football world but to still have the ambition to come here and contribute to bring the club where it belongs. I have been really impressed with all the talks I have had with him and how much he wanted to come.”
Willian remains a key part of Brazil’s national squad, having made 70 appearances since making his debut in 2011.
Arsenal technical director Edu, who also represented Brazil, said he knew Willian “very well”.
“He has a lot of fantastic attributes as a person, as a football player of course, his character,” said Edu.
“I’m 100 per cent sure that everybody in the dressing room, the fans, myself and Mikel will enjoy having Willian in our side.”
Analysis: Willian arrival asks questions of Pepe
Sky Sports’ Alan Smith:
It is time to move the project forward by adding quality in certain positions, which is not easy at all when money is tight. Willian’s free transfer from Chelsea looks like the first step, which surprised me at first given the Brazilian’s age. Just turned 32 with lots of miles on the clock, Stamford Bridge has surely seen his best days.
So was this just a convenient move because he has the right agent? Something foisted upon Arteta by Raul Sanllehi, the head of football? Or does Arteta see something in Willian that can improve the team straight away?
One thing is for sure, as a right-sided attacker, his arrival asks immediate questions of Nicolas Pepe, signed at exorbitant cost this time last year. The Ivory Coast winger has blown hot and cold so far, which is not a great quality in Arteta’s book. Undoubtedly talented, Pepe has got to kick on if he’s going to survive because, in the short term at least, Willian can provide great know-how and quality on that right side.
Analysis: What’s Arsenal’s plan of attack with Willian?
Sky Sports’ Pete Gill:
When discussing the impending arrival of Willian, a recent edition of the Transfer Talk podcast starkly asked the question of Arsenal: is this method or madness?
On the face of it, signing Willian is certainly a little unusual. Are Arsenal really looking at another short-term fix? Are they really planning for the new season with a front three of Aubameyang, Lacazette and Willian with Pepe and Bukayo Saka in reserve? Or could, as some reports suggest, the plan be for Willian to occupy a central, playmaker role while Mesut Ozil remains frozen out?
Trying to fathom Arsenal’s intentions around this deal is as intriguing as their willingness to offer Willian a three-year deal when Chelsea are understood to have drawn the line at two.
