Author: Amrit Santlani
Brazilian winger Willian has signed a one-year contract with Fulham, continuing his stay at the Premier League club, despite also receiving offers from Saudi Arabian clubs. The veteran had become a free agent after his one-year contract with Fulham expired in June. After exploring his options, the Brazilian decided to leave the London club.
The 34-year-old joined the Cottagers last year after a shocking spell with his boyhood club Corinthians, which ended abruptly after Willian received threats on social media.
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He subsequently decided to leave his homeland and return to England, and the former Chelsea and Arsenal midfielder says he is “happy” to remain with the Lillywhites, having rejected a move to Nottingham Forest, who had expressed an interest in the Brazilian.
“I’m completely happy, happy to continue the work I did last season with all my teammates and the whole club,” said Willian.
Last season, he made a total of 27 league appearances, helping Fulham finish tenth after their promotion. The Brazilian scored five goals and provided six assists.
“I think it’s a club that can do even better this season, so I’m happy to continue this incredible adventure,” he added.
After joining Fulham on a free transfer last season, Willian has become an important figure for the team and will be hoping to continue adding to his total of 286 Premier League appearances, after a satisfying spell at Chelsea and an unhappy spell at Arsenal.
The winger spent seven years at Chelsea before joining Arsenal in 2020, but he wasn’t very effective at the Emirates and, after just one season, his contract was terminated and he returned to Brazil.
Willian’s second spell at Corinthians wasn’t very memorable, as he suffered abuse from the fans and, fearing for his family’s well-being, he returned to England, where Fulham gave him a new lease of life.
According to reports, Willian underwent a medical at Forest, who were offering him a two-year contract and better wages, but he decided to stay in west London.