Willian could end his Arsenal nightmare imminently as he prepares to join Brazilian outfit Corinthians.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal and Willian could part ways after the former Chelsea star reached an agreement with Brazilian club Corinthians. The Gunners are willing to let him leave on a free transfer despite the winger having two years left on his deal.
An agreement has reportedly been reached between the winger and the Brazilian side, with the Gunners not demanding any fee for the former Chelsea star. There are reportedly final details regarding paperwork and other formalities still pending. with Romano expecting an announcement sometime soon.
It also appears that Willian took a heavy pay cut to join Corinthians, despite having two years left on his Arsenal deal where he was earning a fortune.
Mikel Arteta had hinted at an imminent departure during last week’s pre-match press conference. The winger featured in Arsenal’s pre-season games, but was not among the prominent members of the side. There has been speculation surrounding his future as the manager seemingly left him out of his plans for this season.
After six days negotiations… Willian to Corinthians, agreement reached and here-we-go soon! Paperworks to be signed on Monday, last details to be sorted and then Willian will travel to Brazil to sign with Timão. ??? #Corinthians
Arsenal will let Willian leave on a free. #AFC https://t.co/AXIHRDyzhk pic.twitter.com/pwKUwK4Iy3
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 29, 2021
Last summer, Willian was one of the first signings after he joined from rivals Chelsea on a free transfer. At that time, many considered it a shrewd piece of business after the Brazilian had his best season in the Premier League. Things started well after the winger registered two assists in the opening game against Fulham.
However, things went downhill as Arsenal’s terrible form coincided with Willian’s as the club found themselves in a disappointing position in the table come Christmas.
Willian finished last season as the club’s leading assist getters. However, Arteta has seemingly frozen him out of his plans this summer, and a departure was on the cards since early pre-season. The winger reportedly wanted to remain in the Premier League or even Europe, although nothing materialised.
With a free transfer now on the cards, there were conflicting reports last week surrounding the finances associated with the deal. Many suggested Willian and Arsenal had terminated his contract by mutual consent, while some suggested the Gunners were set to cover his wages when he joins Corinthians.
Ideally, Arsenal would want his wages off their books. The final details regarding these aspects could come in after a deal gets announced. From the player’s point of view, he would still want to play at the highest level in Europe, but without any notable offers, a move to play regularly somewhere might have attracted him towards Corinthians.
