Arsenal new-boy Willian has spoken out on his transfer from Chelsea this summer and the role his former Blues team-mate David Luiz had to play in the move.
Willian spent seven years at Stamford Bridge before his move to the Emirates Stadium on a free transfer at the end of the 2019/20 season, and it seems the 32-year-old was pretty much begged by Luiz to make the move from west to north London.
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Speaking to Arsenal.com about his move, Willian admitted he spoke to Luiz a lot about joining the Gunners.
He said: “He’s very happy. We played together in the national team, we played together at Chelsea, and now at Arsenal again. I think we can do great things together, I hope so, but I’m very happy to be with him again.
“He said, ‘Come to Arsenal, come to Arsenal, I want you to come!’ So that was the conversation. He is a very nice guy, a top player and I’m very excited to play with him again.
“Of course [he helped in the past], many times. Many times when I had difficult times at Chelsea he was helping me a lot. He is this kind of person that wants to help, especially young players without experience. He is the guy that helps everyone.”
Willian was a star player for Chelsea and looks a smart addition for Arsenal considering he was a free agent, even if some fans might be concerned about his fitness at this stage in his career.
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The Brazil international is not getting any younger, but he showed no signs of slowing down in the season just gone, as he continued to establish himself as one of the most important players in Frank Lampard’s squad.
Luiz hasn’t always been the most impressive performer for Arsenal, but if Willian proves to be a success, fans will be glad Luiz was able to convince him to join.