According to Football London, Willian rejected an offer from David Beckham’s Inter Miami before joining Arsenal, following the expiration of his Chelsea contract.
The Brazil international was offered the chance to become one of the highest earners in Major League Soccer, but he declined the opportunity before becoming an Arsenal player.
Willian signed a contract at the Emirates worth £192,308-a-week according to Spotrac, having settled in London after spending seven years at Stamford Bridge.
The former Shakhtar Donetsk attacker could’ve seen out his career playing alongside the likes of Gonzalo Higuain and Blaise Matuidi in Miami.
However, it speaks volumes about his desire and professionalism that he would rather challenge himself at the top level for a few more years, rather than take one last big payday before retirement.
So far, Willian’s time at Arsenal has been steady with glimpses of what he’s capable of, although some consistency is lacking.
The 32-year-old has registered two assists in seven Premier League games this season, but has not been part of a free-flowing attack alongside Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
The Frenchman has only netted three Premier League goals so far, whereas his Gabonese teammate has just two strikes to his name.
It may just be a case of Mikel Arteta needing more time to get the best out of Willian, because he’s certainly shown what he’s capable of across seven years at Chelsea.
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