Arsenal target tipped to become a success at the Emirates

Former West Ham winger Trevor Sinclair reckons that Willian will fit in perfectly at Arsenal as the Gunners close in on signing the Brazilian for free.

The winger will be out of a contract when he leaves Chelsea as he has struggled to agree on a new deal with the Blues.

He wants a three-year deal, but Chelsea wants to hand him a deal with 12 months less duration.

Arsenal is one of the teams looking to sign him for free and the Gunners have emerged as frontrunners for his signature in recent days after they agreed to hand him his requested three-year deal.

With a move from one team to the other sometimes not panning out well, there might be fears that he will struggle to fit in at Arsenal and get to grips with what Mikel Arteta wants to achieve, but Sinclair doesn’t think there will be any problems and he reckons that the Brazilian will fit in perfectly at the Emirates.

He told TalkSPORT: “I think he’s the real deal, I think he is readymade, I think he is an elite athlete as perry was just saying now. He very rarely gets injured and I’m touched in the heart as I’m saying that.

“He is 32 next week, he’s won everything in the game, and for me as a winger looking at him, he’s got explosive pace.

“I’ve watched him so many times he’s almost 100 percent record, if he decides to drop his left shoulder and go on the outside and put a cross in, it’s almost impossible to defend that.

“Now if you’ve got players making good runs, reverse movement and expecting that kind of cross into the box its very very difficult to stop the forward getting on the end of it.

“I think he’s superb, listen, he looks like a rockster. I just text Perry actually, and I’ve just said to him, ‘why do I feel that Willian is almost destined to be at Arsenal?’

“I don’t know what it is whether its organic or what, he just feels like an Arsenal star or player to me.”

47 Comments

  1. Not for me. Although Willian would be the best one so far, signing rejects from our rivals never works! Luiz being yet another example of Chelsea having the last laugh. When will Arsenal stop being a retirement home for our rivals ex-players?
    And if I am correct Willian usually plays RW, and we already have Pepe for that position.

    So given his position, his age, a reported 3 year deal, and our track record with rival signings, I am not sure any of it makes sense?

    1. This is premier league and you need every position with two or three competitive players so that Arsenal could be ready for the fight with top teams. I know we already have pepe in Rwf position but the season is too long to be able to complete it.
      So I think it’s up to the club no matter what, and we have so many young players coming up who wants to be more winners with experience around their shoulders.

      1. I get we need strength and depth, but I cannot imagine either Willian or Pepe would be happy sat on the bench half the season to accommodate each other.

    2. Not my first choice and probably not MA first choice either (I am just guessing here) but given our circumstances since 2006 with Kronke, I think I am fine with him…i think as a player he has shown that he can go past ppl left & right, pass between channels in tight spaces, good in dead ball situation, willing to track back and for me, he can be an asset either as a starter or strong alternate for no 7, 11 & 10. One has to remember that if we are going to compete effectively on all fronts domestically and in Europe next year we would need two good players for each position. Thats what a supposely big clubs normally do anyway.

      Furthermore I think up top, the team desperately lack someone who can offer some creativity against low block defending ..and given that currently we don’t even have someone who can offer us that consistently, if we cannot get a De Bruyne …a Willian will do for me. I noticed that even Liverpool dont have such a player in midfield playing week in week out but they been very successful playing in a different way anyway because they have 2 brilliant wbs.

      Willian age is a concern, but i think for a player of his age you have to judge them in the order of importance 1. latest season output 2.Average output 3. Output trajectory in comparison to past seasons. The rest for me is just faith and hope the player will deliver on his promise. …TBH, I dont know whats exactly his latest and overall Chelsea stats were , but based on what ive seen of him from full matches or highlight reels this season and past seasons, i am guessing he would not have done too badly. So I am not pessimistic about our chances of extracting another good season out of him. Thereafter, for a player of his age for me its bonus time in terms of what he can deliver becoz IMO in a years time its up to someone such as ESR or other similar players to step up and grab that role and Willian can play a complementary role like IW & DB did at the end of their playing career.

      Willian is not someone that I have in mind as a big player…but more like above average solid pro who is competent at what he does. His acquisition, if it happens, make sense to me at this particular point of time and circumstances in terms of meeting the squad needs next season. But then again, my views now is formed without looking at the whole picture of incoming and outgoing and therefore I guess, I have to wait until the transfer window ended in Sept to be sure how i feel about this one.

  2. A big no , wtf is wrong with us, why are we acting as retirement home for Chelsea players. I hate this shiti Brazilian link up, just because Edu is Brazilian does not mean we award contracts to all the old Brazilian players …first we signed error prone luiz and now Willian. We have Saka and Pepe who are way better then him. Plus we need a creative CM not a winger.

    1. Speaking of Brazilian, apparently Gabriel (CB from Lille)had a meeting with Arsenal last week and he wants to come! I don’t know how true that is but I read it and hope it is true!

  3. There is no way you can win trophies with only Rockies like Saka, Willock, etc. You need to blend experience with youth.
    You won the FA Cup courtesy of old Auba, Luiz etc. Besides, this seems to be Arsenals way of doing business. You and me may not change that for now.

    1. Dun am with you, exactly what MA need to do, mix experience with the youth an we are good to go come next season

  4. Why not! Hes free and can replace Miki when he goes to Roma and can fill voids with injuries or downturn in form for some players like Pepe, Nelson & Gabby. Can play across the front 3 so all good and we dont have much money so making smart deals is a must and this is one

  5. I am all for the deal. First and foremost Willian is not a Chelsea reject, as Lampard clearly wants him to stay but Chelsea Club policy is such that they do not award extended contracts to players above 31. Secondly as far as dribbling skills are concerned, free kicks and work rate, Willian is an exceptional player, and considering the fact that Ronaldo is 35 and still going strong, the notion that age is a barrier is wrong for class players. Also, the season is too long with so many games, we need 2-3 good players for every position and Willian can play across the front 3 and also he has match winning mentality and his experience could prove vital in grooming our youngsters. Every successful Club has a proper blend of youth and experience to take them through the entirety of the season. So, all in all, if the deal goes through, a good deal struck by AFC in general and arteta in particular.

  6. This is not how to build a team. Arteta is interested in rejects like Willian, Umtiti, Boateng, and Lovren. This is just a quick fix that’ll backfire badly. This shpws lack of vision and experience. We not win anything, playing with old horses. How much is his salary at Chelsea, and how much is he demanding at Arsenal?

    1. Have to agree to an extent, Top Gunner. A little like Luiz, I feel MA is going for age, experience and leadership from a team that knows these players are past their best. But is that a bad thing for Arsenal? I know Chelsea fans will see it as “off loading” to a rival. If though, Arsenal manage to get three great years from them and teach our youth players the ropes in the meantime, then It may be the best business we make. After all, we need experience in the squad and that is never young!

      Of course, Arsenal get this all on a free transfer. Which Kronke will like! This is why I my doubts or reservations. If this is our main transaction this summer, I know there will be lots of raised eyebrows from the Arsenal fans!

      As recent history had proven, you just never know what you’re going to get with Arsenal’s miss-managed summer dealings!

    2. You should have read @gunnerforlife comment about William being a reject!Chelsea want to keep him but they are offering a 2 years contract,by the way Lovren has signed for Zenith and we were never after himzenith,Umtiti is a french international, Salah,De Brune…were all rejects as you call them,you should know by now that for some reasons it doesn’t always happen for very good players at certain clubs.

    3. He being touted of a salary of £100-120k a week,which when you consider is a saving compared to Miki’s £180k a week it’s a good deal, and guess what most people aren’t thinking that in 2 years we can still sell to US or China,so all in all not a bad deal, his stats last season were his best season so far in 7 years so if anything he’s getting better not worse

  7. But where did we end up the log, with these old horses? Unai Emery was better. He bought no name player with lots of energy. I’m talking about Martinelli, Ceballos, Gouendouzi, and Seliba

      1. Willian was Chelsea’s top assister and 2nd top scorer this season and is free so I really dont get his view point lol, he said hes not better than Mkhitaryan in another post 😂😂

  8. Firstly i thought it would be a poor singing, however in a way we are loosing miki(hopefuly) and getting willian so a bit of an upgrade hopefully without breaking the bank. When tou look at it that was it seems like a better deal in my eyes.

  9. Well said Top Gunner.Those who are for the signing of aging players on huge salaries should consider the 55 casualties announced yesterday.Saka,Martinelli and Tierney.Three young talents who are the future of our Club, who between them are earning less than ludicrous wages suggested for William or Coutinho who are already multi millionairs and whose best days are gone.Why do you think Willian is leaving Chelsea?His agent would have you believe he is looking for a three year deal .But the real reason is that he has been told that he will no longer be guaranteed a first team place.

    1. Willians best days are certainly not gone he had his best goal return in a chelsea shirt last year so that is false. Genius move by MA as we dont need a long term winger but experience to plug a hole until the like of saka and martinelli get more experience and can learn from willian, plus he will be using mk’s wages when we get him off the books. Plus he rarely gets injured and has a winners mentality. Great signing imo.

  10. I really don’t know what else can be done to satisfy some sections of our fans base,i could recall when we were going for Saliba,Tierney,Martinely,Guendouzi and Cebalos same people kept complaining we were going for inferior and under aged or fringe players. Now proven and matured players are been brought they are still complaining,what else can be done for you lots?

  11. Willian will loot Arsenal coffers for the next 3yrs, whilst rotting on the bench. He will be paid a huge salary. Trust me, this is decision. You cannot build a team by players that are above 30yrs

    1. Top gunner, so you don’t agree with MA wanting to build the team around Auba????
      get real dude, you can’t win with all kids, you need a blend of experience and youth

      1. Arteta should build the tram around Saka, Martinelli, Maitland Niles, Gouendouzi, and Tierney. Auba and other senior players are there to guide these youngsters

  12. I dont know why all of you ( sorry alot of you) are dismissing this deal.
    Willian can play anywhere across the AM line, either wing or in the 10 role.
    he’s a proven winner throughout his career.
    he has 7 years of Premier league experience.
    He wont hinder the development of the younger players like Saka, Martinelli etc
    He can give those players a role model to look upto and learn from.
    he has 3 years with us right so all of you guys saying that Saka and Martinelli are better than willian? no they’re not, not yet but i agree that over the next 2-3 years they will surpass him.
    For those players they need someone to aim at and say ‘ im taking your spot”
    right now who do these players have to say that to? Auba? if he stays they wont get a look in on the wing unless we sell Laca.
    Some people here are blinded by this we buy any chelsea reject BS.
    Everyone was raving when we signed Cech, dont get me wrong he made some errors but he also didnt have the defense in front of him that he had at Chelsea.( which included Luiz)
    Yes Luiz has made some pretty big mistakes, but it also doesnt help when players around him mess up and he takes the brunt of it. People have short memories, he has had, since the restart some big big performances worthy of MoM awards, City , Liverpool and Chelsea in the cup final he was brilliant.
    Get over yourselves and back who ever wears the shirt

    1. Dead right Val, we’re potentially getting Miki’s £180 off the wage bill & paying a better/more productive player for £60/80 a week less,no brainier really,or we could of gone for another free agent in Fraser who isn’t as good or productive IMO,also Willian can be sold in 2 years for a small profit maybe covering 6 months wages,the alternative is to buy a player,all in all 20M in total for a prem proved player with good output

      1. i believe that Mikhi is already being loaned out for this season to Roma.
        I also believe that Willian has already signed for us but Chelsea are playing in UCL still so nothing will be confirmed till after that has finished.
        I could be wrong

  13. Saka and Martinelli are better than Willian. These youngsters have little to learn from Willian. The guy is just an average player. If Willian is that good as you say, why Chelsea is not willing to give him 3yrs contract? The problem at Arsenal is in midfield, not attack

    1. Chelsea have a policy of not offering players over 30 2-3 year contracts, they offered him 2 years.
      if he was past it and they didnt want him to resign they wouldnt have offered him a contract extension in the first place.
      You live in a deluded world if you think after 1 season and a handful of games makes the youngsters better than a seasoned winner.
      They have great potential but they also need to be protected by the amount of games they play so young, they are only 18.
      if we were to rely on them to perform as first team starters, they will come up short.
      I’m not saying that they wont become first choice over the next few years, but they need time

  14. We lost good goalkeepers (Sczesney and Fabianski) due to the Cech. Its not like we fighting for a big player in Willian

  15. The Sczes was sold because he fell out with Wenger and also Wenger didnt think he was going to be a great keeper ( not that he looked at his shoddy defense in this time )
    Fabiansky good? LOL

  16. Fabianski is the only. goalkeeper with more saves in the last season. Besides that, Fabianski is better than Leno

    1. Erm no….. flappyhandski is ranked 16th in the league for saves this season past lol…. 62 saves, leno is ranked 7th for saves with 113, dubravka is ranked 1. With 140 saves….

  17. here’s the facts Top gunner

    Leno played 30 PL games and made 113 saves
    7 clean sheets 39 goals conceded

    Flappy played 25 PL games and made 72 saves
    5 clean sheets and 35 goal conceded

    Martinez played 9(1) PL games and made 34 saves
    3 clean sheets 9 goals conceded

    How does that make Flappy a better keeper?

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