Despite the transfer window being closed, there is always transfer gossip doing the rounds in the papers and we’ll keep you up-to-date with the latest news during the coming months. Today, more on the future of Willian.

Brazilian attacker Willian claims Chelsea made a £20.3 million offer for him in the summer and has reiterated his desire to leave Shakhtar Donetsk and move to a bigger club, according to the Daily Mail.

The report claims a number of English clubs were interested in signing the 24-year-old in the summer but it was Chelsea who were understood to be leading the chase.

Willian has now confirmed in the Mail that the European champions submitted a £20.3 million bid for him and he was desperate to leave for Stamford Bridge, but Shakhtar blocked the move. The Brazil international has reiterated his desire to leave the Ukrainian champions for what he calls a ‘bigger club’, and claims the president is willing to give him his wish if an offer of £24.4 million comes in.

‘My goal is to play for a bigger club in a high level league.’ Willian said.

‘If I tell you that I was happy, I would be lying. My desire was there, with a £20.3million offer from a big club like Chelsea. I wanted to pack my things and go, but I can’t do that as I am under contract.

‘It shows how much Shakhtar like me and shows that I am doing a good job, which is why they wanted me to stay.

‘I have tried to convince them many times to let me go. I know that Juventus and Chelsea have made offers to buy me and that motivates me a lot.

‘The club know that I want to leave, everyone knows that. The president has told me that he’ll let me go for £24.4m and my intention is to sign for a big club.’

Willian is quoted as saying in the Daily Mail:

Read more Chelsea transfer news

Willian is a talented lad, as Chelsea found out to their detriment in the Champions League this season, but do the Blues still need him? They signed Eden Hazard, Victor Moses, Marko Marin and Oscar in the summer – all attack-minded players – so is there still a place for the Shakhtar ace in the team?

Some will say you can never have too many good players, but the manager can only play eleven men and he wont be able to keep them all happy for long if there is too many competing for places. But Willian is clearly angling for a move and if Roman Abramovich is feeling generous, you never know. So watch this space…

Would Chelsea fans like to see Willian at Stamford Bridge? Get involved in the comments section below.

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