---
title: "Arsenal: Club announce signing of Willian"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/arsenal-club-announce-signing-of-willian/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Luke Seychell"
section: "Arsenal Football Club"
published: "2020-08-14T19:20:42Z"
modified: "2020-08-14T19:20:42Z"
---

# Arsenal: Club announce signing of Willian

**There has been a lot of speculation around the future of experienced Premier League winger Willian, as he [announced](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/aug/09/i-leave-with-my-head-held-high-willian-confirms-chelsea-exit) that he will be leaving Chelsea, and favourites Arsenal have now confirmed that the Brazilian has joined them.**

![](https://cdn.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/THE-BREAKDOWN-500x300.png)

Arsenal announced the [news on Twitter](https://twitter.com/Arsenal/status/1294197121634242561?s=20) on Friday morning that the [32](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/willian/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/52769/verein/631) year-old has signed on a free transfer.

The Brazilian has [joined](https://twitter.com/Arsenal/status/1294198834445332481?s=20) on a three-year deal and will wear the number [12](https://twitter.com/Arsenal/status/1294198834445332481?s=20) shirt, which has been [worn](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/fc-arsenal/rueckennummern/verein/11) by former Gunners forward Olivier Giroud and also Arsenal legend Thierry Henry.

Speaking to [Arsenal](https://www.arsenal.com/news/welcome-willian-brazil-forward-joins-arsenal) about the signing, Arteta said: “I believe he’s a player that can really make a difference for us. We have been monitoring him for the past few months.

“He has the experience of everything in the football world but to still have the ambition to come here and contribute to bring the club where it belongs. I have been really impressed with all the talks I have had with him and how much he wanted to come.”

![](https://cdn.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Verdict-500x300.png)

Willian is valued at £20.25 million on [Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/willian/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/52769/verein/631), and this alone highlights that the Gunners are getting a good deal for the attacker. With Chelsea, he has [won](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/willian/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/52769/verein/631) the Premier League twice, the League Cup, the FA Cup, and the Europa League.

Including his eleven goals and nine assists under Frank Lampard last season, Willian played 339 times for the Blues scoring 63 goals and assisting 62, per [Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/willian/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/52769/verein/631). All this shows that the North London side are acquiring a very useful player for their squad.

If you compare some of his attacking stats this season in the Premier League, per [WhoScored](https://www.whoscored.com/PlayerComparison), to Nicolas Pepe, Bukayo Saka and Reiss Nelson, the Brazilian has scored the most goals and picked up the most assists, whilst his two shots and 2.1 key passes per game is higher than the three players. The only attacking stat he is not leading in is successful dribbles per game, where his 1.8 dribbles is beaten by Pepe, who has 2.3 a game.

However this also might mean that the Gunners will stop in their [pursuit](https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sport/football/5658166/coutinho-arsenal-transfer-premier-league/) of Phillipe Coutinho as Arteta [said](https://www.arsenal.com/news/welcome-willian-brazil-forward-joins-arsenal), ‘We had a clear intention to strengthen in the attacking midfielder and the winger positions \[and\] he is a player that gives us a lot of versatility, he can play in three or four different positions.’

Both of the Brazilian players play in similar positions with [Willian](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/willian/profil/spieler/52769) more a winger, who can play centrally, and [Coutinho](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/philippe-coutinho/profil/spieler/80444) more a central midfielder who can play on the wing, so it would seem unlikely that he will bring both in.

The fact that Mikel Arteta can acquire a serial winner, who is lethal in attack and performing better than some of the players at the Gunners in his position, emphasises that this free transfer is a great bit of business.

***Gunners fans, are you happy with this signing? Let us know down below!***