Arsenal were 'ready' to offer Chelsea winger Willian a £250,000-a-week contract before the global coronavirus pandemic brought football to a complete standstill.
The Brazilian, who scored the Blues' winner over Manchester City on Thursday to crown Liverpool as Premier League champions, is being eyed up by a number of clubs this summer, after failing to agree terms on an extended contract.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic heavily decreasing clubs' revenues, free agents and swap deals will be the holy grail of transfers when the window opens, as clubs try to limit their outlays to fall in line with their limited budgets.
However, the Mirror have claimed that one of Willian's potential suitors, Arsenal, were willing to offer staggering weekly wages of £250,000 in order to secure his signature before the virus' outbreak.
That stance will certainly have altered now, but the growing influence of Kia Joorabchian - Willian's agent - at Arsenal has seen the links remain prominent even after the Premier League's resumption.
Willian recently agreed a new short-term deal with Frank Lampard's side to ensure he would see out the remainder of the 2019/20 campaign, and while talks between the two have stalled over the length of contract Chelsea want to offer, Lampard insisted discussions are still taking place over a new long-term contract.
David Ornstein recently revealed that head coach Mikel Arteta is eyeing up a trio of additions in the summer, with a wide player among them, throwing 31-year-old Willian's name into the ring. Age may be against the former Shakhtar Donetsk winger, but he boasts valuable Premier League experience - winning titles under José Mourinho and Antonio Conte.
Arsenal aren't the only London club interested in Willian, with rivals Tottenham also tipped to make a move of their own.
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Source : 90min