Barcelona ‘preparing last-minute bid’ to maybe tempt Chelsea into selling Willian this time — report

We’re now into the last 48 hours of the January transfer window, which means that the madness can truly begin.

Here to kick us off is an opportunistic bid from Barcelona, who are apparently “preparing” a £20m bid for Chelsea winger Willian. Big Willi Style is now into the last six months of his contract and still seemingly no closer to signing an extension than before.

Willian’s of course free to discuss terms on a pre-contract with any team for a free move in the summer. Should we not want to lose him for nothing in return, we could thus consider selling now.

Then again, this whole “preparing” business could just be some shenanigans from Willian’s camp to nudge Chelsea into offering better contract extension terms. It’s not like we haven’t heard Barcelona and Willian together in the same rumor many times before.

It would be most surprising if Chelsea were to let Willian go now, especially after repeatedly rejecting much more financial lucrative overtures in recent transfer windows, usually from Barcelona.

Chelsea may not give Lampard what he wants in terms of short-term attacking reinforcements before the month’s end, but surely we’re not going to deprive him of his most used and most consistent winger. Willian himself has repeatedly stated his desire to stay as well.

Nice try, Sky.