ARSENAL reportedly had a huge offer in store for Willian before the coronavirus pandemic hit.
A reduction in team wages is just one of the measures put in place at the Emirates stadium while the financial consequences of the crisis are exposed.
According to the Mirror, the Gunners were preparing a deal of £ 250,000 a week to convince Chelsea Willian for a free transfer this summer.
The Brazilian’s contract expires at the end of the season after signing a short-term extension in West London.
But the prospect of a longer renewal appears poor after the Blues reportedly decided not to match the three-year deal requested by the 31-year-old.
However, Frank Lampard claimed that negotiations are underway with Willian.
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In April, the player admitted: “Everyone knows that my contract ends in a few months, so renewal is really a difficult thing to do.
“I think it will be very difficult to renew myself because Chelsea offered me two years, I asked for three and it ended there, we didn’t talk anymore, we didn’t negotiate anymore.
“Three years – Chelsea said it would have been impossible, so for now there is this difficulty, but nothing is impossible.”
Manchester United, Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain are all connected one step ahead of the market opening hit by the pandemic.
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Free agents are expected to be in high demand as clubs struggle to afford large transfer fees.
Arsenal in particular may have to sell before it can buy with Mesut Ozil, which earns very well.
The Gunners also face a fight to keep Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang ahead of the expiration of his contract in 2021, although David Luiz, Cedric Soares and Pablo Mari have all been signed up to stay in the club next season.
