Willian Commits Future to Chelsea - Signs New 5-Year Deal

[Danny]

Surely Barce can find better value for money elsewhere?

[El Profesor]

21 minutes ago, Danny said:

Surely Barce can find better value for money elsewhere?

Agree, Di María is a similar player and he probably would cost much less. The problem is that according to some rumours, Valverde himself asked for Willian. He wants to use a 4-4-2 next season and he thinks Willian would fit the system in the right side of the midfield. 

If that´s true, I think Dembélé should ask his agent to find a way out of Barça. He won´t get much playing time.

[Carnivore Chris]

8 hours ago, El Profesor said:

Agree, Di María is a similar player and he probably would cost much less. The problem is that according to some rumours, Valverde himself asked for Willian. He wants to use a 4-4-2 next season and he thinks Willian would fit the system in the right side of the midfield. 

If that´s true, I think Dembélé should ask his agent to find a way out of Barça. He won´t get much playing time.

Fuck Di Maria though, he's horrible to watch 90% of the time these days. Willian is a better option, although I'd personally only buy him to add squad depth and if he came at a cheap price rather than as a first teamer being purchased for silly money.

If you ask me, that 4-4-2 crap became monotonous, was one of the reasons for the Roma result and drop of form and needs to be scrapped for a 4-3-3, with both Dembele and once settled, Arthur, being part of the line up. An exciting team that would work well together for me. I don't get that 4-4-2 shit anymore. Yes, I understood it in the first half of the season last year due to the options available and the sale of Neymar followed by the early injury to Dembele, but it shouldn't be a future formation as it doesn't suit Barcelona's way of playing or the type of players at the club at all.

 

[carefreeluke]

Very odd if this is true, Barcelona have no idea what they are doing these days. 

Willian is a player that would improve in an attacking setup, in a new environment and with better attacking players around him. The first few years I'd maintain he did a good job for us but the more I've watched of him over the years, I've grown impatient with him and would happily drive him to Barcelona myself especially for that kind of money.

[SirBalon]

2 hours ago, carefreeluke said:

Willian is a player that would improve in an attacking setup, in a new environment and with better attacking players around him.

That is the case 100% if he goes to Barça.  Barcelona are an attacking setup (much to their detriment) and every attacking player is better than him there.  All the same it's a mistake unless it's as a depth signing which I would understand although extremely expensive for that.

[RandoEFC+]

Would be very tempted by now if I was Chelsea.

[Bluewolf]

To be honest I would take the money and let him leave.. Something bad happened between him and Conte whatever that was that has kick started all this transfer talk in the first, I like Willian but he can be a bit hit and miss at times and for a player of his age we probably won't get any better offer than that... His departure would effectively cover our outlay on Jorgihno... 

[Cicero]

We don't have a replacement lined up. 

[Dave]

I cant get my head round why Barca are focused in signing him, and why Chelsea are determined to keep him.

Surely a club Chelsea's size with their scouting infrastructure will know of suitable replacements.

[Dr. Gonzo]

18 hours ago, The Palace Fan said:

I cant get my head round why Barca are focused in signing him, and by Chelsea are determined to keep him.

Surely a club Chelsea's size with their scouting infrastructure will know of suitable replacements.

Yeah I imagine if they don’t have a specific signing lined up, they’d have a list of options. And they could be making an upgrade on a position while still pocketing cash. Or it gives them the ability to spend a bit more extra.

Honestly, it blows my mind a bit they didn’t accept the bid and immediately try to hijack Roma’s Malcom signing. Maybe they want someone more “established.”

Willian is a good player, but I don’t think he’s worth £55m and I don’t know why Barca want him. I’d have snapped their hand off for him there.

[Cicero]

A. Nothing really concrete that Barca in fact actually made a bid for Willian

B. If they did, who ever rejected the bid needs to be sacked. Along with maybe 3/4th of the board entirely. 

C. Rumors we haven't found a replacement yet, to which we are looking at the likes of Martial, Pulisic, and Zaha 

[DNA]

When he moves to China in a years time the Chelsea hierarchy will use this saga as a case study.

[SirBalon]

21 hours ago, Cicero said:

A. Nothing really concrete that Barca in fact actually made a bid for Willian

B. If they did, who ever rejected the bid needs to be sacked. Along with maybe 3/4th of the board entirely. 

C. Rumors we haven't found a replacement yet, to which we are looking at the likes of Martial, Pulisic, and Zaha 

Barcelona's attempt to sign Willian was real mate and there were several types of methods Barça used to try and get him with the final one being a €60m straight cash bid. But before that there had been a couple of others including player + cash for Willian with André Gomes and befoure that with Lucas Digne.

The only contact with Chelsea and players that are rumours with no evidence are the apparent contact regarding Eden Hazard where Barcelona supposedly offered €150m + Ousmane Dembélé.

[Harry]

37 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

Barcelona's attempt to sign Willian was real mate and there were several types of methods Barça used to try and get him with the final one being a €60 straight cash bid. But before that there had been a couple of others including player + cash for Willian with André Gomes and before that with Lucas Digne.

The only contact with Chelsea and players that are rumours with no evidence are the apparent contact regarding Eden Hazard where Barcelona supposedly offered €150 + Ousmane Dembélé.

😮🤐

[Inverted]

57 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

Barcelona's attempt to sign Willian was real mate and there were several types of methods Barça used to try and get him with the final one being a €60 straight cash bid. But before that there had been a couple of others including player + cash for Willian with André Gomes and before that with Lucas Digne.

The only contact with Chelsea and players that are rumours with no evidence are the apparent contact regarding Eden Hazard where Barcelona supposedly offered €150 + Ousmane Dembélé.

I know he’s a not a world beater but he’s worth more than that surely.

[SirBalon]

10 minutes ago, Inverted said:

I know he’s a not a world beater but he’s worth more than that surely.

Oops!

[SirBalon]

Edited 

[carefreeluke]

If you're a club striving to be one of the best teams in the world and based on what Willian's demonstrated with Chelsea thus far, he's a good squad player at best. Hence Barcelona wanting to spend that much on him is baffling. There was also a significant period / spell in recent years where Willian (I would go as far as saying) was one of our worst players but at the same time you have that spell last season where he was one our best, inconsistent is perhaps the word. Overall however, a player that would improve under better conditions but a player I definitely wouldn't cry about if we lost.

Maybe a controversial opinion here for the Chelsea fans but:

Pedro's 2nd season > than anything Willian has produced over the five years he's been here

[Eco]

I have rarely seen enough shining moments out of him to understand this kind of money. Does his price raise because he is a Brazilian with 1 name? Awful in the World Cup, and pretty sub-standard when I've watched him with Chelsea. 

[carefreeluke]

1 minute ago, Eco said:

I have rarely seen enough shining moments out of him to understand this kind of money. Does his price raise because he is a Brazilian with 1 name? Awful in the World Cup, and pretty sub-standard when I've watched him with Chelsea. 

From what I've seen pundits and general football fans seem to rate him highly and there's sections of the Chelsea support that do as well. 

[Eco]

Just now, carefreeluke said:

From what I've seen pundits and general football fans seem to rate him highly and there's sections of the Chelsea support that do as well. 

I guess I'm missing something, then. 

[carefreeluke]

Just now, Eco said:

I guess I'm missing something, then. 

Me too. 

[SirBalon]

For me the Willian interest (for Barça) was a very simple one and Ernesto Valverde really wanted him.  The reason he wanted him is because Willian is extremely dynamic and causes all sorts of issues to rivals defences with his very direct approach and coming off the bench in a game that could be going pear shaped would've been a great option.

[Cicero]

Funny how Willian's two POTS awards came from the club finishing 10th, and finishing 5th 

[carefreeluke]

5 minutes ago, Cicero said:

Funny how Willian's two POTS awards came from the club finishing 10th, and finishing 5th 

He was perhaps his most consistent under Mourinho with whom he had a very good relationship, while he perhaps played his best football under Conte last season (bare in mind this wasn't on a consistent basis). Funnily enough, in contrast to Mourinho beforehand, Willian and Conte didn't get on.