2019 Copa America Winner Admits Regret Over Joining Arsenal From Chelsea in 2020
- Willian opened up about his decision to leave Chelsea for Arsenal in 2020, revealing what Mikel Arteta told him before he signed
- The Brazilian winger said Arsenal offered him a three-year deal and promised to build the team around him as their main player
- Willian made a shocking admission about how quickly his feelings changed after joining the Gunners
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Former Chelsea and Arsenal winger Willian has admitted he regrets his move to Arsenal in the summer of 2020, revealing that he was already looking for a way out just three months into his time at the club.
He notably sat out the 2020 FA Cup final between Chelsea and Arsenal, which the Gunners won, having already agreed terms with the club ahead of his transfer.
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Willian left Arsenal after just one season and had a short stint in Brazil before returning to London with Fulham in the summer of 2022.
Willian regrets Arsenal move
The Brazilian, who joined the Gunners on a free transfer in August 2020 after his contract at Stamford Bridge expired, spoke about the decision on the Obi One Podcast, offering the clearest account yet of what drew him to Arsenal in the first place.
Willian said Arsenal held talks with his agents and that manager Mikel Arteta personally assured him he would be central to the club's plans.
“Arsenal was having a meeting with my agent. They were saying, 'We want Willian. We want to give him three years,'" he said on the podcast.
He added that Arteta's pitch went even further:
"He said, 'I want you, you know, to be the main guy. We're going to do the team around you. I want to give you the key of the club.'"
The winger, who had previously won multiple trophies at Chelsea, said the offer of three more years in a city his family loved made the switch feel like the right call at the time.
"Obviously I love Chelsea, but I was in the last year of my contract. I'm 32 years old. I was thinking three years more, London, stay. My family love London," he said.
Despite those assurances, things did not go as planned. Willian conceded that he quickly regretted the move.
"I should have stayed. But at that moment I was thinking maybe the best solution is to go there," he said.
The admission is particularly striking given that he had previously said in another interview with The Sun that his goal upon joining Arsenal was to win the Champions League before his three-year deal ran out.
Arteta explains Chelsea obsession
Legit.ng previously reported that Mikel Arteta explained why Arsenal signed players from Chelsea in every window since he arrived until 2026.
The manager admitted that he was not aware of the stats, but it is not about obsession but about taking opportunities in the transfer market.
Source: Legit.ng
