Willing suitor in talks as report claims Arsenal open to fanciful January exit
Real Betis are considering a move for Arsenal winger Willian in the January transfer market, according to a report in Spain.
The Brazilian signed for the Gunners in August and immediately set out his ambitions at the club.
Willian revealed that Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta convinced him over the move by giving him confidence in the club’s project.
But Arsenal remain a long way off winning top silverware. Arteta’s side last won in the Premier League at the start of November and are struggling for top-flight goals.
Indeed, Willian has proved part of that struggle to find the net and, according to El Gol Digital, the Gunners are ready to offload him in the January market.
The report claims that, despite Arteta showing immediate faith in the summer signing, the manager has chosen to ‘gradually relegate’ him.
As such, he has failed to ‘consolidate’ a place in the team and Arsenal are supposedly considering moving him on.
As for where he could move to, Betis believe that the 31-year-old would be the perfect summer signing.
The LaLiga side are preparing to wave goodbye to club legend Joaquin at the end of the season. The 39-year-old, who has spent a good deal of his career at Betis, is likely to retire.
Therefore, club chiefs are looking for a top replacement and have identified Willian, with talks already underway. El Gol Digital claims that the Brazilian is ‘in the pipeline’ and would be ‘quite affordable’.
Indeed, sporting director Antonio Cordon has proved largely responsible for targeting the winger.
Arsenal urged to sign Dutch striker
Meanwhile, former Wolfsburg manager Andries Jonker says that Arsenal should sign Wout Weghorst to solve their issues up front.
The striker recently confirmed interest from Tottenham, who instead signed Carlos Vinicius on loan.
As such, Weghorst remains a viable option on the market and Jonker says that the Gunners should sign him.