Former Premier League winger Willian has candidly reflected on his ill-fated move to Arsenal, admitting it was a mistake. After leaving Chelsea as a free agent in 2020, the Brazilian joined Arsenal, but his time at the club lasted only a year, and he revealed it didn’t take long for him to realize things weren’t going to work out.
“I wasn’t happy, that’s why I didn’t perform,” Willian confessed during an interview on the *Five* YouTube channel. Despite initial excitement about joining a new club, within three months, he told his agent, “I want to go.” Willian emphasized that his desire to leave wasn’t due to Arsenal’s stature, calling them “a big club with a big history,” but rather his personal unhappiness during that period.
Willian also acknowledged that he gave up a significant amount of money to leave Arsenal but stressed that happiness was more important than financial gain. “For me, it’s unfair to stay in a place you don’t want to be, just because of the money,” he explained, adding that he couldn’t stay in a situation where he wasn’t enjoying football or his life.