Willian praises Mourinho and admits Man Utd transfer talks

Willian: Pays respect to Chapecoense victims

Willian has once again spoken of his admiration for Jose Mourinho and has admitted his agent held talks over a move to Manchester United earlier this summer.

The Brazil player was named as Chelsea’s player of the year during Mourinho’s ill-fated final campaign at Stamford Bridge and has regularly been linked with a move to Old Trafford since the Portuguese coach took charge in the summer of 2016.

And speaking to Goal, Willian has revealed his agent spoke to United officials over a move earlier this summer.

“There were a few conversations with my agent. I worked with Mourinho and I became his friend as well,” he said.

“He likes me a lot and I like him a lot as a coach and as a person. He has put his trust in me and in my work, and I was very grateful to him.

“Manchester came to me, they talked with my agent, but nothing happened, because Chelsea would not negotiate me in any way and I’m very happy at Chelsea.”

Willian, however, admits he is more than happy to stay at Chelsea and play under Antonio Conte – and the Brazilian believes both the Italian and Mourinho employ very different styles.

“They are very different. Everyone has their way of working. Mourinho is a coach who likes more the ball practice, works the ball possession and makes short games,” he added.

“Conte likes to work the tactical and the physical part. Every coach has his way of working. Mourinho is a fantastic coach and won everything wherever he went.

 

Paper Talk: Chelsea bad boy set for Newcastle move

 

“Conte is a fantastic coach too, because he won everything at Juventus and has already won the Premier League in his first year with Chelsea. Each one has his merits.

“[Conte] is a coach who works hard every day, works a lot of tactics and the physical part. In the last season, he transformed our team when he changed the formation to 3-4-3. We managed to assimilate very well what he asked us in the training sessions and things worked out.”

 

Willian sets out Chelsea aims

Cesc Fabregas: Rejects approaches from Italy

Pressed on his aims for the season and Willian admits he has some big targets in mind for the 2017/18 campaign.

“I dream of winning more titles with Chelsea, win a Champions League and Fifa Club World Cup with Chelsea and be one of the best players in the world, as well as win titles with the Selecao (Brazil) and a World Cup,” he concluded.