The former Blues midfielder would love to see the Brazilian stay at Stamford Bridge, but he doesn’t think the club will give in to his contractual demands
Chelsea will likely allow Willian to join a major Premier League rival this summer, according to Dennis Wise, who admits that the midfielder “would be perfect for Arsenal”.
Willian has been a key member of Chelsea’s senior team since he was captured by Anzhi Makhachkala in 2013, collecting over 300 appearances for the club in all competitions.
41 of these were made this season, with the Brazilian managing to contribute 10 goals and seven assists to the cause of the Azzurri from the center of the park.
Willian has agreed on an extension of the short-term contract that will see him stay on Stamford Bridge until the end of the season, which has just restarted after a three-month hiatus caused by the coronavirus epidemic.
The 31-year-old was offered the opportunity to sign a new two-year deal beyond that, but he is holding out for another year and may end up leaving the club as a free agent in August if no compromise is reached.
Although Wise prefers to see Willian move abroad if he leaves Bridge, he admits that the experienced director would be the ideal signature for Chelsea’s rival Arsenal.
When asked to discuss the prospect of an influential figure joining the Gunners or Manchester United, the former Blues midfielder said Astro stadium: “Well, I don’t want him to go to any of them, I have to say why it will be a competition for Chelsea. Go to Italy, please, Willian. Go away.
“I think it would be suitable for anyone; Arsenal, I think it would be perfect for them. This is the sad thing, we will let him go to an opposition that wants to compete.
“We have to replace it with something else, we have replaced it but we will [need] much more because we only depend on two when you want more.
“I think Pedro will leave too, so we’ll lose two great men. We’ll be disappointed to lose him too. When looking at the quality that’s going on, Chelsea have to look for quality to get in.”
Willian scored twice in Chelsea’s 3-2 defeat at West Ham on Wednesday, becoming the first player in Premier League history to score in each calendar month in the process.
Wise thinks that the Brazilian international still has much more to offer at the highest levels, but understands that the Blues could try to send him out while Frank Lampard continues to build a new team.
“I’d like Chelsea to keep it, but I think Chelsea look at its age, and I think it’s part of the equation,” added the former British international. “They look at his age. Yes, they would probably extend a year, but they won’t give him three, which is why he has the opportunity elsewhere to take a longer contract.
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“It will be disappointing because I have to say he has had wonderful years at Chelsea and he is a quality player as you saw tonight [against West Ham].
“He still has so much capacity to give. It will be sad to see him go.” I think that’s why Chelsea are already building to try and replace Willian with more staff, and that’s what they’re going to have to do.
“Once you bring it out, with the quality it has, the assists it gives, the goals it gives, you’re taking a big chunk [of the team]. We will miss him when he leaves, he was a wonderful talent for Chelsea. “
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