It has been 6 years, 6 months and 11 days since Willian Borges Da Silva signed for Chelsea. Since then, he’s made 329 appearances and won 5 trophies with the club.
Despite not being the most prolific attacker in terms of goals and assists, he has been a mainstay on the Chelsea right wing under four full-time managers — Jose Mourinho, Antonio Conte, Maurizio Sarri and Frank Lampard (and an interim one, too, in Guus Hiddink) — due to his workrate, ability to link the attack, threat from set pieces, and chance-creation proficiency. However, Willian’s well on the wrong side of 30, and negotiations with Chelsea for a new contract were always going to be convoluted.
Willian himself confirmed Chelsea’s two-year renewal offer and his desire to get a three-year contract instead. Chelsea, who had already broken club policy by offering longer than a single-year extension, seem unwilling (and for good reason, too) not to relax the rule any further — be it for Willian or anyone else. Rumors had already started swirling about Willian’s next destination (especially Arsenal), and those continue with the Telegraph naming Arsenal, Spurs, and Bayern Munich as potential suitors for the soon-to-be 32-year-old.
Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Bayern Munich all keen on Willian with Chelsea yet to agree fresh terms with the forward | @Matt_Law_DT @mcgrathmikehttps://t.co/vTN8I8ZOkL
— Telegraph Football (@TeleFootball) March 10, 2020
Willian is already free to agree a Bosman deal to join any of those clubs for free in the summer, and two of them also meet Willian’s stated criteria of staying in London where his family loves living. Sorry, Bayern!
While there is still a possibility that an agreement will be reached over an extension, such a scenario appears unlikely at the moment for the club’s No.10, despite Frank Lampard’s wishes to the contrary.