Arsenal handed further boost in race for £30m Brazilian trickster, already said to be favourites

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Arsenal have been handed a huge boost in the race for Chelsea midfielder Willian after he admitted to Brazilian YouTube channel Desimpedidos that he wouldn’t mind moving to a rival club.

Mikel Arteta’s charges are believed to be one of the sides interested in Willian’s signature, with his Stamford Bridge contract expiring this summer.

However, the Gunners’ bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur are also said to be interested in the midfielder, according to Metro.

Willian has plied his trade for the West Londoners since 2013, when he joined from Anzhi Makhachkala in a reported £30million move (BBC Sport).

The 31-year-old has made upwards of 300 appearances for Chelsea in which he claimed 59 goals and 59 assists, according to Transfermarkt.

However, Willian’s days at Chelsea seem to be numbered after previously telling Fox Sports show Expediente Futbol that contract talks with the Blues had petered out.

Willian wants a two or three-year deal at Stamford Bridge but the Blues are seemingly only willing to hand him a rolling 12-month extension.

According to ESPN journalist Jorge Nicola (Youtube), Willian’s representatives believe the Gunners are the most viable destination for the winger this summer.

And now, Willian has fuelled speculation further by saying he wouldn’t rule out joining the likes of Arsenal and Spurs just because they’re Chelsea’s city and league rivals.

“It really is a hard decision,” he said. “I identified myself a lot at Chelsea, I have a lot of love for everyone at the club, and the fans.

“However, it is like I said before, if I leave Chelsea with no trouble and leaving the doors open, it would be fine to move to a rival club.”

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Arsenal are already thought to be favourites for Willian’s signature, as reported by ESPN journalist Jorge Nicola, and for the player to now publicly admit he’s open to joining Chelsea’s rivals is a further huge boost.

The Brazilian is an incredibly talented player, fast, agile, hard-working and technically gifted, with a track record of pulling off exciting feints and tricks to the point that pundits were questioning whether he, and not Eden Hazard, was Chelsea’s most skilful player of the two.

To get such a talent on a free transfer would be quite a coup for Arsenal, and even though he’s 31, he looks to have plenty of top-level years in him yet.