Former Chelsea star Willian completes Arsenal switch
Arsenal completed their first signing of the summer on Friday by coming to terms with Willian on a three-year contract, the club announced Friday.
The 32-year-old winger made the switch to north London after a successful career on the west end at Chelsea came to an end earlier this month.
"(I like) the way they play, everything is amazing - the stadium, and I think that with (manager Mikel) Arteta, Arsenal have a great opportunity to fight again for titles in the Premier League and in Europe so I'm very happy because of that," he said.
"I'm excited to start. I can't wait to go on the pitch and do my thing to help my teammates and to help this club to shine again. That's what I want.
"When I talked to (Mikel), the conversation was good, he gave me confidence to come to Arsenal. He said a lot of good things to me and that's why I have come to Arsenal."
🆕 New club. New colours. New beginnings.
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) August 14, 2020
👋 Welcome to The Arsenal, @WillianBorges88! 🔴 pic.twitter.com/B7Tl01BXLe
His new deal is understood to be worth more than the £120,000 that he earned weekly at Chelsea when bonuses and other incentives are taken into account, Nick Ames of The Guardian reports.
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard was reportedly keen to extend Willian's stay, but the club's refusal to offer him a deal longer than two years ultimately resulted in him joining its rival on a free transfer after his contract expired.
Willian signed for Chelsea in 2013 and helped the club win several major honors, including two Premier League titles and the Europa League.
He scored 11 goals in 47 appearances in all competitions during his final season at the club.
16 - With nine goals and seven assists, 2019-20 was Willian's most productive Premier League campaign in terms of goal involvements. Gunner. pic.twitter.com/BThamrXb8V
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 14, 2020
His arrival at Emirates Stadium could represent the beginning of an eventful summer, as Arsenal attempt to replenish the squad and improve on last season's disappointing eighth-place finish. It was the club's worst performance in the Premier League since the 1994-95 campaign.
It's expected several more changes will be made to the team that Arteta inherited last season. Matteo Guendouzi, Sokratis Papastathopoulos, and Mesut Ozil have all be linked with a move away.
But the manager reportedly believes signing forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to a new contract before the season begins in September is paramount, and the club is hopeful of completing a deal that will pay the Gabonese striker - who is entering the final year of his deal - £250,000 per week.