Shakhtar Fear Willian Is Trying To Force Move As Attacker Goes AWOL

With the January transfer window now open for business we’ll be keeping you up-to-date with all the latest transfer gossip. Today, more on the future of Willian.

Shakhtar Donetsk fear that Chelsea and Tottenahm target Willian is trying to engineer a move away from the club after failing to show up in time for the start of their winter training camp, according to the Evening Standard.

The report claims that both London clubs have made moves for the Brazilian attacker in the past but with Shakhtar progressing to the last 16 of the Champions League, it was thought the player would remain with the Ukrainian outfit until the end of the season.

However, coach Mircea Lucescu has revealed that the 24-year-old has failed to return from Brazil in time to take part in their winter training camp and fears the players agents may be advising him to do so in order to engineer a move away this month, while the Standard believe the recent signing of Taison – a player very similar to Willian – shows Shakhtar are preparing for life without the play-maker.

“It is not very nice to say that Willian did not return from holiday on time and thus he is exerting a certain pressure on the club, I think it was unprofessional of him.”

“The president decided to do everything possible to sign a player of Willian’s level, who already has experience of playing at a high standard [Taison]. We look forward to having Willian again and I would like him to come back and behave as he did before – as a professional and decent man.

“I would like him to solve his problems in a civilised manner here in Donetsk, and not by phone. I have great respect for Willian and I would not like him to be put under pressure by the people who surround him, and who perhaps advise him the wrong things.

“He should reject the advice of those who surround him – they are not doing very good things. With or without Willian, Shakhtar will move on.”

Lucescu is quoted as saying by the Evening Standard

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This is certainly an interesting turn of events and Willian could very-well be trying to force a move before the window closes by not turning up for training. Will it work though? Well it’s usually very difficult for a club to keep hold of an unhappy player, so we’ll have to see how Shakhtar deal with him when he does eventually show up, but he’d be an excellent signing for either Spurs or Chelsea if they did end up luring him to the Premier League.

Would Chelsea or Tottenham fans like to see Willian at their club? Get involved in the comments section below.