Willian, will in a matter of days now, become an Arsenal player, after the 31-year-old winger was reported to have agreed to a three-year deal with Arsenal.
Although not yet confirmed by both Chelsea and Arsenal, the three-year deal will see the Brazilian international earn £100,000-per-week, instead of £250,000 as initially reported.
The move by Willian to the north side of London is coming after contract talks to remain at Chelsea broke down. He was said to be demanding a three-year deal from Chelsea. But the Blues were only ready to give just two years, and probably with a pay cut, which the Brazilian and his agent were not ready to accept.
ESPN have reported that the switch is expected to be officially announced by both parties later this month.
Dailymail also reported that Frank Lampard is even said to have appealed to Chelsea’s hierarchy directly to bring an end to the impasse surrounding Willian’s renewal, but his pleas have fallen on deaf ears.
Kia Joorabchian, Willian’s representative, recently claimed that five clubs were competing to snap up the winger in a bargain deal.
Two of the interested parties were Premier League clubs, with Everton said to have been one of them.
Willian won two league titles, the FA Cup, the EFL Cup and the Europa League at Chelsea.
And the former Anzhi Makhachkala wideman will once again be playing in the same European competition next season after Arsenal won the FA Cup.
Having missed the all-London final through injury, Willian was forced to watch on from the sidelines as his new team clinched the trophy for a record 14th time.