Chelsea should leave no stone unturned in tying down this 52-goal attacker to a fresh and improved contract

Chelsea Opinion: Blues should offer Willian a one-year extension

According to Bleacher Report, Chelsea star Willian has expressed his desire to stay at Chelsea, although the Brazilian is still unsure whether he is a part of the club’s plans for the foreseeable future.

The same report claims that Chelsea haven’t opened talks with Willian over a fresh deal till now, with the Brazilian’s current contract set to expire in June 2020.

Willian would be having just 12 months left on his present deal come the end of the season and the Blues will need to make a call on his future sooner or later. He cannot expect a new long-term deal at Stamford Bridge, owing to the club’s policy of offering only one-year deals to players aged 30 or above.

The Brazilian, who joined Chelsea from Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala back in 2013, has been a been a trusted long-term servant at Stamford Bridge, helping the Blues claim two Premier League titles.

In a period that has been marked by frequent managerial changes combined with reasonable success, Willian has been one of Chelsea standout performers and the Brazilian has been at the centre of everything that the club has achieved in recent times.

Currently in his sixth season at Chelsea, the veteran has accumulated 52 goals and 51 assists from a total of 282 appearances for the Blues in all competitions.

The 30-year-old has also been a regular under Maurizio Sarri this season, registering 8 goals and 12 assists from 45 appearances in all competitions. His versatility to play out wide on either flank has been used to good effect by Sarri, with the Italian rotating between Pedro and Eden Hazard to keep all three fresh.

At times, Willian has come under criticism for his below-par displays in the final third this season, but in all honesty, he has had more good games than bad.

With the danger of the transfer ban looming at Stamford Bridge, it won’t be the best idea for Chelsea to offload a trusted and accomplished player like Willian.

Sarri’s possession-based based philosophy requires technically gifted players and there aren’t many in the ranks at Chelsea who are better than the Brazilian in that respect.

Willian’s ability to pick out defence-splitting passes, directness to run at defenders, pace and flair on the ball and penchant for scoring goals are invaluable assets to Chelsea and they would probably have to spend a fortune to land a like-for-like replacement.

Granted, Christian Pulisic is set to arrive next season but he is still inexperienced at the highest level and is likely to take time to adapt to the Premier League, whilst Willian, on the other hand, would be a much more reliable option.

Moreover, the fact that the 30-year-old would have just 12 months left on his current contract at the end of the season would put Chelsea in a weakened position to get a good bargain for him in the summer.

To put things into perspective, Chelsea should offer Willian a one-year extension before the end of the season or in the summer to extend his stay at the club. This would not only allow them to get the most out of the player on the pitch but also bag handsome cash by offloading him in the future.

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Willian is a fan favourite at Stamford Bridge and the club should adopt a cautious approach while dealing with his contract situation. He still has plenty to offer and Chelsea might regret getting him off their books too soon.