With his contract expiring at the end of the season, it’s no surprise Willian has been linked with a move out of Chelsea lately.
The fact he’s able to soon sign a pre-contract and leave for free next summer is a reason for his former club Corinthians to dream of his signing.
But when speaking to Yahoo Brasil this week, the 31-year-old couldn’t give Corinthians fans a lot of hope. He’s made it clear he still loves the club, but says he doesn’t plan to return so soon.
“I have a great affection for Corinthians, because it’s the club where I started, I spent almost 10 years there and I keep following and supporting. But in my career I try to do things step by step and at this moment I have no plans to return to Brazil. So this is not the time to feed expectations and talk about idea,” Willian told Yahoo.
But the strongest rumours about Willian’s future normally come from Europe, where for years now Barcelona have been said to be keen on his signing. However, the Brazilian continues to claim he’s fine at Chelsea, and will seek a contract renewal with the Stamford Bridge side.
“I’ve stated several times my wish is to stay at Chelsea. I like the club very much, I feel very welcomed here, as well as my family, and we love living in London. However, I’m in the middle of the season and I try not to think about it, not to lose focus on the pitch. My agent and the club are talking and I hope we can have some good news soon. In transfer windows it’s normal to have proposals and speculation, especially for players who are at the end of contract. But my focus is 100% on Chelsea and the season.”
This is Willian’s sixth campaign at Chelsea, and he’s managed to remain a regular starter for the club, having three goals and four assists in 21 appearances this season.
