A former Arsenal flop has now shared that Mikel Arteta actually wanted him to stay in north London for an extra year.
The north London side have had something of a golden streak in recent years in the transfer market, with Arteta and sporting director Edu Gaspar leading quite the charge when it comes to making new signings.
The Gunners seemingly can’t miss with last summer’s additions of Declan Rice and David Raya pushing Arsenal to a new level, with the former a real contender for Premier League signing of the season.
Yet not all additions have been a hit in recent years, and one notable flop seemingly could have stayed around for longer.
Willian says he was asked to stay at Arsenal for one extra year
Speaking to ESPN Brazil, former Arsenal winger Willian has shared that Arteta wanted the now-Fulham attacker to stay in north London for an extra year despite a debut season to forget, with the forward regarded as one of the Gunners’ worst signings in recent years.
Willian said when asked about his departure from Arsenal after just one season: “When it came to the end of the first season, I spoke to them and said ‘I don’t think it’s going to work out here’. I’m a player who needs to feel happy where I am, and here I can’t find myself.
READ MORE: All Mikel Arteta signings at Arsenal ranked from worst to best
“So we decided to terminate my contract, but Arsenal always wanted me to stay, to try for another year. I think the main factor was that I was at club in the middle of a revamp, changing everything. A lot of people have said ‘Wait a bit longer, have a bit of patience’.
“But you know when you’re not feeling happy? When you’re in a place just for the money, it’s not very enjoyable, you know? Going somewhere just for the contract. And I’m not that kind of person, I have to feel good.”
Willian was right to push for Arsenal exit after one season
The signing of Willian has gone down in Arsenal folklore as one of the worst in the club’s modern history, with the deal occurring during what many would consider the north London side’s lowest point in the 21st century.
Yet as said by Willian himself, pushing to leave Arsenal after one season was the right thing to do, with the player and the club both flourishing since agreeing to part ways in the summer of 2021.
Willian has rediscovered his Premier League form at Fulham, and Arsenal have since blossomed into one of the best clubs in Europe, with Arteta and Edu also laying down the groundwork for how a manager and sporting director should work in regards to transfers.