Willian admits he was labelled ‘crazy’ after deciding to terminate his mega-money contract at Premier League giants Arsenal before returning to Brazil in the summer of 2021, speaking to The Athletic.
Why things didn’t work out for the Brazil international at the Emirates Stadium will remain a mystery. OK, Willian was already on the wrong side of 30 when he joined Arsenal on a free transfer two-and-a-bit years ago.
But this was a player who had racked up nine goals and seven assists in the Premier League during his final season at Chelsea. Willian, upon arriving at the Emirates, was still a high-class operator capable of producing match-changing moments at the very highest level.
Few would have imagined that things would go quite so badly for him down the road in North London, however, the reaction to Willian’s early departure after just 12 months in Arsenal colours met with a sigh of relief from many of a Gunners persuasion.
“A lot of people said to me; ‘Are you crazy?! You have to stay. You can’t lose this money’,” Willian explains.
The Brazil international walked away from £20 million when tearing up the final two years of his lucrative Arsenal contract.
“There were a lot who told me this, even people from Brazil,” Willian adds. “They’d say; ‘Don’t come, don’t come, you have to stay! You’re crazy!’.
“But it was something I wanted to try, to play for Corinthians, the club I grew up playing for. So that’s why I left. I was comfortable with my choice.”
Unfortunately for Willian, his spell at Corinthians would make that Arsenal stint look like an unqualified success by comparison. For the second year in succession, the 34-year-old ended up terminating a contract long before it’s expiry date, eventually returning to West London on a free transfer.
Willian impressed on his first Fulham start in the 3-2 comeback win at Nottingham Forest last week.
