Willian decided to leave Chelsea for London rivals Arsenal after being ‘wooed’ by manager Mikel Arteta.
That’s according to super agent Kia Joorabchian, who discussed his clients’ switch across the capital with talkSPORT on Tuesday.
Willian’s free transfer to the Emirates Stadium was confirmed last month, ending months of speculation over the Brazilian winger’s future.
The 32-year-old was one of the Blues’ top-performing stars across seven years at Stamford Bridge, winning two Premier League titles, an FA Cup and the Europa League.
He was offered an extension to remain at the west London club, but instead Willian chose to end his Chelsea career and move to north London to become an Arsenal player.
And Joorabchian has revealed it wasn’t just the three-year £220,000-a-week contract on offer that convinced him to join to Arsenal, it was also the pull of new manager Arteta and his plans for future success with the Gunners.
“With Willian, there’s no secret he wanted a three-year contract, but the Mikel Arteta project was just incredible,” the agent told talkSPORT host Jim White.
“He was very much wooed by Mikel and [technical director] Edu, and what Mikel presented to him and the way he wants to play football and the way he wants to continue and the success he wants to bring to Arsenal, made the difference.
“That’s what he said and that’s exactly what it was.”
This isn’t the first time Willian will have made a move between clubs in the capital… sort of.
Back in 2013, the Brazilian was famously on the verge of joining Tottenham.
A deal was agreed, his medical was done and he was about to sign… when Chelsea swooped in and signed him from under their neighbours’ noses.
“That was many years ago,” Joorabchian explained.
“It was true, wasn’t it,” asked talkSPORT host White. “Willian and you were sitting at Tottenham and he was about to sign…”
“And then Jose called,” replied the agent.
“Yeah, but that was a bit of a different story, because the clubs – Spurs and Anzhi [Makhachkala, Willian’s old club in Russia] were in a conflict over a solidarity payment, and then Anzhi pulled the plug.
“So it was a different story [to what was reported].
“Obviously Jose was at Chelsea at that time and Willi did very well there, he won several trophies and succeeded very well, so I hope he does the same thing at Arsenal.”
