There can be few transfers that have gone so spectacularly wrong as Willian’s move to Arsenal.
Billed as a no-risk free transfer when he arrived following his departure from Chelsea last summer, the experienced Brazilian was expected to play a key role in the Mikel Arteta revolution at Emirates Stadium.
There were reservations about the fact he had been handed a three-year deal, despite being 31, but most felt that he still had plenty to offer given he had arrived off the back of his best goalscoring season at Stamford Bridge.
But wind the clock forward just over a year, and with Willian now in talks over a possible free transfer to Corinthians , his move to Arsenal can be described as nothing other than a disaster.
In 37 appearances, he managed just one goal – a free-kick against Championship bound West Brom on what looks like being his final appearance in an Arsenal shirt.
Next Match
“The expectations when we made the decision together to bring him to the football club have not been fulfilled,” Arteta admitted earlier this month.
“It’s true that the context has not been the best for him. It’s been the most difficult year in football history for any football player.
“Willian is a player that needs to play happy, feel joy and feel the supporters and then express himself with the quality that he has.
“None of that has happened. He found a difficult place for him and he’s not been comfortable with that and I think that’s why he’s struggled.”
Getty/Goal
But he will leave as a player who now epitomises everything the Gunners must avoid when it comes to their future transfer dealings.
This was a costly mistake and the lessons learned will be a valuable warning for Arteta and Arsenal’s technical director Edu going forward.
On the face of it, of course, he looked like a relatively smart signing.
Willian was still a key player for Chelsea when he left. He scored nine league goals in his final season in west London but also provided seven assists, equalling his highest previous tally, which was amassed in 2017-18.
Chelsea were also keen to keep him; it wasn’t like they had pushed him out of the door. They repeatedly offered him a two-year contract extension.
The issue was it was one year less than what he was asking for – and that’s where Arsenal stepped in.
It seemed like Arteta was getting a player who would come in and make an immediate impact, too, but the reality was the complete opposite.
Aside from his impressive debut when he set up a goal in the 3-0 win at Fulham , Willian endured a miserable time in north London.
It was a classic case of a player who didn’t really want to be at a club who just went through the motions without delivering anywhere near what he should have.
For Arsenal, it’s another example as to why you shouldn’t sign an ageing player from your rivals.
“It really was a very difficult start,” Willian admitted, while discussing his first season at Arsenal during an interview with ESPN .
“We ended up getting [on] a bad streak and I also got a bad streak. I think [it was] the worst time that I lived as a professional.”
Given how his first season had gone at Arsenal, it felt like a move away this summer was important for all parties.
It looks like that could now happen, with talks taking place over a potential return to Brazil.
However, negotiations over the structure of the proposed Corinthians deal and how much Arsenal might need to contribute to his wages have yet to be concluded.
There is still also a chance that Willian could move elsewhere, with the attacker open to staying in Europe should the right opportunity arise.
For Arsenal, the key now is to avoid repeating the mistake they made with Willian in the future.
They must be smarter in the transfer market and the signs so far this summer suggest they have taken heed of the warning and are focusing on building a young squad that is packed full of hunger and potential.
The arrivals of Ben White, Sambi Lokonga and Martin Odegaard point to a drastic change in recruitment policy and it’s an approach the sources at the club point to as their vision for the future.
This has been an extremely busy summer for Arsenal, with Nuno Tavares and Aaron Ramsdale also joining White Lokonga and Odegaard through the door. But the expected exodus has yet to really materialise.
Several players who had looked certain to depart still remain, with some of those even listed amongst the substitutes on Sunday as the Gunners were beaten by Chelsea.
But Arsenal are expecting to see some significant movement when it comes to outgoings during the final week of the transfer window, with Willian set to be followed out of the door by several other players.
Lucas Torreira is already in Italy ahead of a loan move to Fiorentina which will see the Serie A side have an option to make the midfielder’s move permanent at the end of the season.
Sead Kolasinac, who was on the bench at the weekend, could join Fenerbahce, while Eddie Nketiah continues to attract interest from Crystal Palace.
Hector Bellerin is another player who could still leave as Arsenal look to clear the decks, with Reiss Nelson also available, should the right offer arrive.
Should the majority of them move on in the coming days, particularly Bellerin, then Arsenal could look to add to their squad further with the arrival of a new right-back before next Tuesday’s transfer deadline.
Who that could be is not yet clear, but it’s a safe bet to suggest it won’t be anyone over the age of 30 who has just been released by Chelsea.