Ex-Arsenal and Chelsea forward Willian agrees to terminate his contract with Brazilian side Corinthians following their Copa Libertadores exit on Wednesday
- Willian has agreed to the termination of his two-year contract with Corinthians
- The cancellation comes after Corinthians’ Copa Libertadores quarter-final exit
- The former Arsenal and Chelsea player made 45 appearances for the Brazilians
- The 34-year-old could make a surprise return to the Premier League with Fulham
Brazilian forward Willian has agreed to terminate his contract with Corinthians following their Copa Libertadores exit.
Corinthians lost 3-0 on aggregate to Flamengo in the quarter-finals of the tournament on Wednesday, with the former Arsenal and Chelsea winger ending his stay at the club soon after.
The 34-year-old left the Gunners for his native Brazil last summer on a free transfer just one season into his three-year deal at the Emirates and had initially agreed a two-year deal at the Brazilian side before Wednesday’s premature cancellation.
Willian has left Corinthians after the mutual termination of his two-year deal at the club
The 33-year-old won two Premier League titles during his time at Fulham’s rivals Chelsea
The 34-year-old’s time with his boyhood club came to an unceremonious end after Corinthians were dumped out by Flamengo, and his departure comes just three days before a crucial derby against Palmeiras in the league.
The announcement, confirmed by Brazilian publication Meu Timao, comes as a result of the player’s family wanting to return to Europe, where they lived for 14 years.
However Meu Timao also reports that the decision may have already come prior to the game, suggesting that the player had already bid farewell to his team-mates before kick-off.
Corinthians are among the most successful clubs in the world, with 30 league titles
The Brazilian outlet also claimed that club president Duilio Monteiro Alves admitted a meeting between Corinthians and Willian had been scheduled for Wednesday.
Willian will now forego the wages he expected to earn by the end of 2023, and will likely seek a move to a European club to both continue his career and satisfy the request of his family.
The winger had previously attracted interest from several sides, including newly-promoted Fulham. It has been reported that Marco Silva’s side are already negotiating the terms of a proposed transfer.
The Brazilian scored just one goal in 35 appearances during his year-long stint at Arsenal
Fulham are interested in signing the Brazilian winger to aid their top-flight survival bid
The Brazilian enjoyed an excellent stint at Chelsea, as he won two Premier League titles, an FA Cup, League Cup and Europa League during his seven-year stay at Stamford Bridge.
The Brazilian would add some much-needed Premier League experience to the Cottagers as they bid to avoid a relegation battle this season, and began their campaign with an impressive 2-2 draw at home to Liverpool.
Corinthians have already made the headlines this summer after offering wantaway Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo an unlikely route away from Old Trafford, after Alvez admitted he was ‘keeping an eye’ on the Portuguese legend.
Corinthians president Duilio Monteiro Alves said ‘in football everything is possible’
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