Paul Merson has told Sky Sports that he doesn’t believe Willian left Arsenal and with it ‘sacrificed’ £20 million.
Willian left Arsenal on Monday – one day before deadline day – and Sky Sports reported that he ripped up his contract in North London.
It is said that the winger had two years remaining on the three-year deal he signed last summer – and, as a result, he gave up around £20 million of the money the club owed him.
The Brazilian even took to Instagram where he spoke about the criticism he got for seemingly making the move to the Emirates for ‘financial’ reasons and he is hoping that his supposed actions debunk those claims.
But outspoken TV pundit Merson wasn’t having any of it and controversially claimed that he hasn’t given up that rumoured £20 million.
“All of a sudden, they have now let Willian go,” said Merson. “Please don’t tell me Willian didn’t get paid to leave.
“Yeh, he said ‘I am going to sacrifice my £20 million’. Yeh, okay (Merson nods his head in disagreement). He ain’t done that.”
It is pretty remarkable that somebody would be willing to give up that sort of money even though he was the one that was owed it.
Arsenal offered him a big-money three-year contract when he left Stamford Bridge last summer, so he is entitled to that money.
And whilst he had a torrid team at the Emirates last season, that doesn’t exactly mean that he should be heading for the exit door with his contract in pieces.
Either way, he has seemingly done what the likes of Mesut Ozil didn’t and it has proved to be a move that shouldn’t have happened in the first place.
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