Willian tells friends he wants Arsenal transfer

Willian is holding out for a summer transfer to Arsenal – and has turned down riches on offer in the MLS in order to make it happen.

The Brazilian winger is out of contract at Chelsea and has been chasing the financial certainty of a three-year contract at the age of 31.

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That determination now seen him tell friends that he would like to stay in London and join Mikel Arteta’s Gunners, even though the most lucrative deal on the table has come from David Beckham’s MLS franchise Inter Miami.

Arsenal aren’t willing to match the money that has been offered from the States, but they are willing to put forward the extra year that the winger is craving.

SEE ALSO: Chelsea ready to offload 10 players to fund Lampard’s transfer spree

Crucially, Willian would also be able to stay in London where his family are settled.

The Brazilian has been at Stamford Bridge since 2013, and has also been linked with a reunion with his old Blues boss Jose Mourinho at Tottenham.

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But the project that Arteta is overseeing at Arsenal seems to have won the fight for his affections, with his agent Kia Joorabchian maintaining good relations with the Gunners.

Last month Willian outlined the importance of a three-year deal to Brazilian YouTube channel De Sola, saying: “Chelsea only offered me two years and I asked for three. My goal in the next contract is to sign for three years, so I haven’t had a deal with Chelsea yet.

“This is what I asked the club for, three years of contract. If you give me that, I’ll get the pen and sign the contract tomorrow.”

Willian was absent from Chelsea’s FA Cup final defeat to Arsenal at the weekend through injury, and he is set to miss Saturday’s Champions League trip to Bayern Munich.