Chelsea have beaten Liverpool and Tottenham to the signing of transfer listed Anzhi escapee Willian, as the player chose Stamford Bridge and the Champions League, over White Hart Lane and the Europe League. Willian will sign for the club next week once a work permit is secured.
Spurs were ready to break their transfer fee for a third time this window, as Paulinho and Roberto Soldado recently edged out big names such as Luka Modric and, erm, Darren Bent, in Spurs list of highest fees paid.
Liverpool were first amongst the bidding for the player, but reportedly declined to pay the massive fee commanded by Willian’s agent, Kia Joorabchian. When it comes to spending big money on football players, Liverpool have had their fingers burnt in the not so distant past, so the prospect signing of Willian for £30m was met with some concern by fans. The extra agents fees were also met with some concern by Liverpool’s owners FSG, so much so that they pulled out of the deal.
During his time at Shakhtar Donetsk, Willian proved his talents on a European stage, winning the UEFA Cup in 2009, and impressing in the Champions League for several seasons. This persuaded Anzhi Makhachkala to fork out £30m for his signature, and he’s maintained this value, as you can see.
In Willian, Chelsea are getting a player with a cutting edge in the final third, especially from the left wing slot where he can cut in dangerously onto his stronger right foot. He’s a tricky, pacey, creative player who likes to take on his man, as well as shoot from distance should the opportunity arise.
He’ll also be looking to improve even further as he looks to force his way into the Brazilian national team, and playing alongside his compatriots David Luiz, Oscar, and Ramires at Chelsea could attract the attention of coach Big Phil Scolari.
Lets hope that big phil extends his selection policy to the bench as Mourinho rotates his squad – particularly when he has the number of options he now has.
Useless signing! 30m£ flushed down the gutter.not only will this stupid signing of a player who calls himself a winger but has netted only 37 times in 220 appearances have an impact on the growth on de bruyne,oscar,moses and schurrle,it will also unsettle the pillars of our attack-mata and hazard! An absolutely useless signing in my opinion.
Totally agree. This was all about getting one over on AVB.
I have come to the conclusion that Mourinho’s ego is going to do us more harm then good this time around, useless signing…..Mata is far better then this willian kid who cant even spell his name correctly..
Also, I think JM did this from insecurity. At the expense of the Russian Mafia money, he just denied Spurs an essential purchase for a position, where he already has a better player.
I see Willian enjoying a fat pay cheque for sitting on the Chelsea bench – he is noway better than Mata, Schurle (Not to mention Hazard). Don’t take this as a comment from a LFC fan, but after all these years, JM is just not the “special one” without 150mn kitty & he understands that better than anyone.
I have to agree entirely with LFC_Fan nuff said!!
Willian best signing we have had this year. if we run willian with Lukaku could give torres a shot to revive his career. i know everyone is down on Torres but Willian thrashed us in Chapions league with his elusiveness and best of all creative passing. Torres and Lukaku need the ball at their feat to be effective and willians speed and creativity will allow him to score and put the ball where it needs to be. we dont need a striker as much as a creative midfield striker and that is what willian is! watch and see!!!
I don’t know. If he’s that good what were Barca, Real, Bayern and Juve doing showing no interest at all? Like many before him his true potential will be lost in the star crazed Chelsea squad.
I think it was just to keep him from Spurs, Chelsea must be worried about the squad they’re building, don’t think they would have bothered if he was signing at Anfield.
It’s hard to know if Willian was the the answer to Spurs’ obvious lack of a playmaker. We really need someone like Modric, but it would stick in the throat if he came back, so maybe Pjanic or Erikkson would contrast nicely with the bullish midfield we’ve built.. It is a little laughable that Chelsea would sign Willian just to stop Spurs getting stronger, but there may be something in it. If so, it’s a little sinister too and just shows what clubs are up against when it comes to expenditure by the likes of Chelsea and City. It’s not as though Chelsea are short of players like Willian. Anyway, I think Willian deserves to be no more than just a pawn in a power game. He seems to be a typical example of a ‘football tart’ with no concept of honour or commitment to ANY club even when a decision has been made (and it WAS made, hence his medical at Tottenham). If Bale were a Chelsea or City player, there’s no way he’d be going to RM right now ..even at £90k. Those clubs would know (as RM does) his true worth, and he has even more improvement in him! If Spurs bought no more players this summer, but kept Bale, it would be the best bit of business any club could do! I’ve no doubt they could challenge for the title this season, but then have Lewis/Levy the bottle to say ..’we’re keeping him!’ They’d soon see their current £60m outlay recouped, and more, over the coming seasons if they DID keep him.
I don’t think they problem is so much Lewis/Levy it’s the lure of R Madrid and a bag full of cash which unfortunately tends to turn players heads into mush, guaranteed withing a year or two GB will be just another player in a squad, not the primadonna he is used to being at spurs… hence i say sell while the iron is hot and use the cash to build a squad not a one man team. That i believe will be the way spurs can break into the top four and continue to challenge in years to come. no team reliant on one man has never achieved anything!!! my opinion…
Totally agree with Sandy. Relying on one player is absurd and Tottenham have a powerhouse now in place of a very mediocre team last season.
£30m for a player who has a decent track record in the Ukraine seems like a lot of money. The fee was driven up because Anzhi paid over the odds for him last year.
This has Mourhino’s ego all over it. Unfortunately for Chelsea, there are a whole lot of other mighty egos at Stamford Bridge already from Chairman to dressing room. Waiting for the vipers to start biting!
Would want nothing to do with Willian or his representative, especially for twice what he’s probably worth.