Manchester United has reportedly made enquiries into signing Chelsea’s Willian. The move makes sense for all parties but is unlikely to happen this January for a two big reasons.
Willian possesses a frightening turn of pace, fantastic ball skills and a phenomenal work rate. Manchester United want him, and it is easy to see why. He would be an asset to any team. It has not been clicking for him at Chelsea though.
The Brazilian attacker has not had a great start to this campaign. With Eden Hazard injured at the start of the season, he was given the chance to show his quality but failed to make an impact. He has shown flashes of brilliance against Everton and, more recently, Huddersfield. Those moments, however, are increasingly rare in a Chelsea shirt.
Antonio Conte’s tactics are the biggest reason why. Willian, while obviously a talented player, is not a perfect fit in Chelsea’s normal 3-4-3 or 3-5-2. The width in these formations is provided by the wing backs. His natural tendency to drift to the right occupies space the wing back usually exploits. The Blues’ loss against Crystal Palace in October threw up an example of how his poor positioning blunted the team’s attack.
Jose Mourinho’s United, on the other hand, would benefit greatly from that same tendency. The Red Devils, for all their spending, lack a player like Willian. There is a serious shortage of wingers in the squad. The Chelsea board, however, is unlikely to consider United’s overtures unless two hurdles are overcome.
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The first difficulty is Chelsea’s small squad size. Conte mentions this to anyone who will listen. Clearly, his side cannot compete in all competitions without adding significant depth.
Replacements must be in place before the west London outfit will even consider selling. Given the club’s relative caution in the transfer market and the chaotic nature of the January window, Willian’s departure looks unlikely.
The second obstacle to overcome is that of public opinion. Pundits and fans spent the autumn scratching their heads as to why Chelsea sold Nemanja Matic to United. Why would Chelsea sanction a move that strengthens a rival? The simple answer is money. The deal was too good to turn down for a player refusing to sign a new contract.
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Willian is under contract until 2020. United would need to stump up an enormous fee to persuade Chelsea to part with him after the heat the board took for the Matic move. The final amount must also be large enough to convince Chelsea supporters they are getting the better end of the deal. Can Manchester United afford another huge outlay after this summer?