Barcelona

Willian confirms Chelsea exit after seven years

09-Aug-2020 15:32:03 | Yahoo Sports

VIDEO SHOWS: WILLIAN'S FAREWELL LETTER TO CHELSEA FANS, FILE FOOTAGE OF WILLIAN SHOWS: INTERNET (AUGUST 9, 2020) (SOCIAL MEDIA WEBSITE - ACCESS ALL) (MUTE) 1. VARIOUS OF WILLIAN'S FAREWELL LETTER TO CHELSEA FANS STOKE D'ABERNON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - NOVEMBER 4, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 2. WILLIAN AT CHELSEA TRAINING STOKE D'ABERNON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - DECEMBER 4, 2017) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 3. WILLIAN WALKING OUT FOR TRAINING 4. WILLIAN WARMING UP BAKU, AZERBAIJAN (FILE - MAY 28, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 5. WILLIAN WALKING AND STARTING RUNNING DRILL BARCELONA, SPAIN (FILE - MARCH 13, 2018) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 6. VARIOUS OF WILLIAN PASSING BALL DURING TRAINING SESSION AT THE CAMP NOU STOKE D'ABERNON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - FEBRUARY 19, 2018) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 7. WILLIAN PASSING BALL STOKE D'ABERNON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - SEPTEMBER 26, 2017) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 8. WILLIAN CATCHING BALL AND PASSING IT BACK ENFIELD, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - MAY 29, 2018) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 9. WILLIAN CHESTING DOWN BALL DURING BRAZIL TRAINING 10. WILLIAN LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - NOVEMBER 13, 2017) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 11. WILLIAN WATCHING ON DURING A BRAZIL TRAINING SESSION STORY: Brazilian midfielder Willian has confirmed he will leave Chelsea after seven 'wonderful' years at Stamford Bridge. The 32-year-old, linked with a move across town to Arsenal, posted a farewell letter to the club's fans on Twitter on Sunday (August 9). "The time has now come to move on. I am certainly going to miss my team mates," he said. "I leave with my head held high, safe in the knowledge that I won things here and always did my best in a Chelsea shirt!" Willian, who began his career with Corinthians in Sao Paulo, joined Chelsea from Anzhi Makhachkala in 2013 and made over 300 appearances for the club, winning two Premier League titles. He was out of contract this summer and had failed to agree a new long-term deal with the club. "In August 2013 when I received the offer from Chelsea, I was convinced that this was where I had to play," he said. "Today I am certain that it was the best of decisions. There were so many happy times, some sad, there were trophies and it was always very intense." (Production: Stefan Haskins, Tim Hart)