- Chelsea and Man Utd showed interest in Willian
- Brazilian was seen as a Plan B option
- Willian decides to sign new Fulham deal
WHAT HAPPENED? According toESPN Brasil, the two Premier League giants were keen to sign the player earlier in the summer transfer window. However, negotiations with both clubs did not progress significantly, as they considered him a secondary target. Eventually, Willian chose to stay at Fulham, where he has just signed a one-year contract to continue in the Premier League.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Willian also reportedly had an offer from Nottingham Forest but he rejected the approach to continue at Craven Cottage, where he excelled after making a surprise return to the English top-flight from Corinthians in September 2022. He was one of the standout performers for Fulham in the 2022-23 season as he contributed five goals and an equal number of assists in 27 appearances.
AND WHAT'S MORE: "I’m completely happy. Happy to sign one more year with Fulham. Happy to continue the work that I did last season with all my teammates and the whole club. I think it’s a club that can do even better this season, so I’m happy to continue this amazing adventure," Willian told Fulham's official website after signing his new contract.
Having previously spent seven successful seasons at Chelsea, where he won two Premier League titles, the FA Cup, the Carabao Cup and the Europa League, he briefly joined Arsenal in 2020 before returning to Brazil to play for Corinthians. However, the new contract with Fulham sets the stage for another campaign in the Premier League.
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WHAT NEXT? Willian is an integral member of the Fulham squad and will aim to build on his impressive performances from last season. Marco Silva's troops will play a single friendly against Hoffenheim on August 5 before their Premier League opener against Everton on August 12.