Newcastle United must forget about signing Inter Milan midfielder Valentino Lazaro and plot an ambitious Bosman deal for Chelsea’s out-of-contract Willian.
The Blues forward’s £120,000-per-week contract is due to expire this June and while the 31-year-old has stated he is willing to play on until the 2019/20 season is finished, has also rejected the Stamford Bridge outfit’s offer of a two-year extension.
Willian has stated that he is holding out for a new, three-year contract that would take him almost to the age of 35 with his 32nd birthday on August 9, and that he would prefer to remain in London after seven years with Chelsea.
The Blues have reportedly put a freeze on negotiations over extending that spell, though, with the top-four club reluctant to commit to new terms until they find out what will happen if the coronavirus crisis sees the season extend beyond June 30.
Chelsea’s reluctance to hold further talks with Willian should be the green light that sees Managing Director Lee Charnley fling into action, and strive to make an offer that would be too good for the Ribeirao Pires-born winger to refuse.
Signing Willian would have natural implications on the long-term future of Lazaro at St. James’ Park, but the Brazilian is simply the better option to the Austrian we signed on loan in January and already allegedly have doubts over triggering our €23million (£20.6m) option to buy clause.
Toon owner Mike Ashley is often reluctant to sanction big spends on players aged over 25, and that was one of the sticking points in his efforts to retain Rafa Benitez and why Salomon Rondon was not kept, but Willian would be worth the investment.
It speaks volumes of Willian’s talents at 31, soon to be 32, that Chelsea are willing to offer him a two-year deal, while clubs like Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Bayern Munich are all said to be considering Bosman swoops of their own.
Former Chelsea ace Alan Hudson has also spoken highly of the 70-cap Brazil international, and his comments list multiple reasons why the former £50m Barcelona target would be a great addition to Steve Bruce’s squad next season.
“Willian has been Chelsea’s best and most consistent player,” Hudson told CaughtOffside. “Turning defence into attack brilliantly, with such pace. They would be foolish to let him go.
“He’s not only a great player but a player who young players can learn off, day in and day out. You can’t beat such experience from a player with such great ability and one who has been a fantastic servant. I would keep him, for where do you find another Willian?”
Would you take Chelsea's Willian on a free transfer this summer?
Yes
No
Willian has done more at Chelsea than most players do in their careers, with the forward clinching two Premier League titles, an FA Cup, EFL Cup and the 2018/19 Europa League crown.
Even at 31, Frank Lampard has felt justified to start the £25.2m-rated ace in 21 of the Blues’ 29 Premier League games this term, in which Willian has scored five and assisted five goals.
Lazaro, meanwhile, was run ragged by Wilfried Zaha before being sent off when we drew with Crystal Palace, teased by Arsenal’s 18-year-old Bukayo Saka and only looked upon from the bench as we beat Southampton last time out.
If the option is between spending more than £20m on Lazaro, plus matching or beating his €1.5m-a-year (£25,748-per-week) contract with Inter, or spending around £120k-per-week plus a signing on bonus for Willian – the decision, right now, only points to the Chelsea man.
In other Newcastle United news, the club can avoid a proposed stumbling block to sign Bruce’s “great” target by simply offloading one first-team outcast.