Willian Borges da Silva, or Willian as he’s commonly known, has been in the scope of FC Barcelona for a potential acquisition. The 31-year-old Brazilian forward will see his contract with Chelsea soon expire, but he’s hoping to somehow negotiate an extension and remain with the club for the longer term.
The contract will be expiring in January 2020 and Willian will have to find a new suitor to pay his £120,000-a-week income, a salary something that a large football club like Barcelona can easily offer.
However, the question with Willian is not about the pay or the accommodation that the club can provide. It’s about the team and the area where he currently lives.
In Willian’s own words: “we love it here in London, and we had several factors that helped us stay.”
This was a comment that the Brazilian made after Barcelona showed great interest in him following last summer’s World Cup. Willian was still playing for Chelsea at that time and living in London with his family. He still wishes to remain in the English capital.
There’s always a catch
No matter how much Willian may want to remain with the Blues, it’s up to the club to decide whether he stays or goes. Several online betting companies have already commented that losing Willian in the new year will definitely adversely affect Chelsea’s performance.
Betting companies like Gunsbet have commented that any movement within the team will cause Chelsea’s title and top four odds to decrease significantly. Whenever betting companies significantly move the odds, it directly impacts the fan base as well. Fans see the revised predictions and then alter the amount of time they invest in paying attention to the team. And naturally, the less people you have watching you play, the greater the negative impact on profitability in the long run.
The Blues cannot afford to lose fans at these crucial times, which leaves no choice but to break their tradition of not extending contracts for players above the age of 30.
The clock is ticking
It’s in Willian’s best interest to get a definitive answer from Chelsea as soon as possible. The interest from Barcelona may not last too long as the club already has “applications” from other Brazilian winger sensations. One of the most notable is Neymar Jr. who is trying to distance himself from Paris Saint-Germain.