Paul Merson has given his backing to Arsenal’s imminent signing of Chelsea winger Willian on a free transfer – with the club’s former midfielder even labelling the 31-year-old a ‘special player’.
Talks over keeping the Brazil international in West London had collapsed due to his demands for a three-year contract, and Arsenal have recently swooped and offered him a £100,000-a-week deal similar in length.
Sky Sports pundit Merson is delighted with the club’s first major piece of transfer business this summer, but has also been left shocked by the abrupt end to Willian’s seven-year spell with Chelsea.
The impasse centred around Willian’s demand for a longer-term deal which Chelsea refused to match.
The club instead fired back, through director Marina Granovskaia, a ‘take it or leave it’ two-year contract before the coronavirus pandemic struck. Despite top-flight action later resuming after a three-month hiatus, talks didn’t progress any further.
Willian was said to have been left feeling ‘shocked and upset’ due to Chelsea’s steadfast attitude towards the issue.
But Merson firmly believes that Arsenal were correct to capitalise and snap up the experienced player.
In his column for the Daily Star, he wrote: ‘Willian would be an unbelievable signing for Arsenal. I think Willian is a special player who ticks all the boxes. I can’t believe Chelsea are letting him go to be honest.
‘I know he’s 31 and wanted a three-year contract but football is all about now, and right now he’s a great player. No manager is thinking about what might happen in three or four years’ time.
‘They need results now, so it’s no surprise to me Frank Lampard doesn’t want him to go. Arteta won’t be Arsenal manager forever. He needs to win now. Willian can help him do that.’
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