‘I wish I never left Chelsea’ – Willian opens up on nightmare Arsenal spell and regrets Blues transfer exit
WILLIAN has admitted that he regrets leaving Chelsea for Arsenal in 2020.
The winger left Stamford Bridge after seven years to join the Gunners on a free transfer.
He failed to replicate his Chelsea form at the Emirates, however, and would leave after just one season.
Willian, 34, left Arsenal for Corinthians in 2021 – before surprisingly returning to the Premier League with Fulham this season.
Ahead of the Cottagers’ clash with Mikel Arteta’s side tomorrow, Willian chatted to Sky Sports about his time at Arsenal.
Asked if he regrets leaving Chelsea for the Gunners in 2020, he said: “Yeah. I wish I’d never left.
“Of course it’s easy to say now, but when I stop and think about all the situations…
“I say to myself ‘I wish I never left’.
“It’s life. I’m happy now at Fulham, enjoying myself there, this is life.”
Further quizzed as to why his Gunners stint was a failure, he added: “They are flying now.
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“I don’t know. It was in the middle of the… it was changing a lot. I was excited when I signed with them.
“I was training hard but it just didn’t work, and that’s it.”
Willian made 339 appearances for Chelsea, scoring 63 goals and laying on 62 assists.
He won two Premier League titles, an FA Cup, League Cup and Europa League during his time at Stamford Bridge.
Following his move to Arsenal he netted just once in 37 games as his side came eighth.
Willian has re-found his mojo upon his return to West London, scoring three goals and laying on three assists for Marco Silva’s side as they chase an unlikely European place.