Why the pull of London helped a struggling Willian rediscover his finest form
The 34-year-old endured a downturn in form after joining Arsenal before an ill-fated return to Brazil but he is back thriving for Fulham
Perhaps it was the lighting at Easter Road. Perhaps it was the faded-yellow kit. Perhaps it was simply an unflattering camera angle. But when Willian appeared for Arsenal in a pre-season friendly against Hibernian in the summer of 2021, it was hard to avoid the conclusion his time at the top level of English football was over.
The Brazilian, it is safe to say, did not appear to be in top physical condition on that sunny evening in Edinburgh. Some Arsenal supporters would phrase it less politely. And within a few weeks of pre-season starting, the inevitable was confirmed: Willian and Arsenal had agreed to terminate his contract by mutual consent.
Willian headed to Corinthians, the club where he started his career, and there was no expectation he might ever return to Europe. His return home, at the age of 33, felt almost poetic. This was where footballing life had begun for him and now, surely, it would be where it ended.
And yet here we are, almost 18 months later, and Willian is not only back in the Premier League but he’s thriving there. At 34, he has been one of the most important players in Fulham’s impressive surge up the table to seventh, starting their last eight league matches and playing each of them with genuine intensity and invention.
It is a triumph of technical ability and physical willingness, and a reminder that Willian remains one of the most gifted players to have operated on these shores in the last decade. Even now, after that disastrous spell at Arsenal and an even more painful experience at Corinthians, he has still got it.
“Am I impressed? Yes,” said Marco Silva, the Fulham manager. “Am I surprised? No. On his quality, desire, ambition and professionalism I did not have doubts. Never. When I spoke the first time with him, it was enough. We know his quality. I can say now, because I know him better each day, he is a great professional as well.”
How has this happened? One explanation is Willian’s affection for London, and indeed west London. The unhappy return to Corinthians, where he and his family suffered horrific social media abuse, showed him that England is his home now, rather than Brazil, and he has no intention of leaving again. He is a British citizen, having passed the required tests during his time at Chelsea; the team he faces on Thursday.
He is comfortable here, then, and motivated. Willian hopes to play on for at least another few seasons, perhaps until he is 40, and it should be noted he was only offered a contract by Fulham after he spent two weeks training with the squad. He had to show he wanted it.
"I just needed some conversations with him,” said Silva. “I needed him to be with us for four or five days to create some feelings, not just for me but for him as well. For him to feel the environment, for me to create a connection with him. After that, we took a decision. I think he is enjoying every single day.”
It helps, too, that Silva has such a strong grasp on this Fulham squad. He knows his side’s strengths and weaknesses, and he knows how they can hurt teams. After 18 games they sit three points ahead of Thursday’s opponents Chelsea.
Fulham have a clear and defined structure, which has allowed creative players to express themselves throughout this campaign so far. They also have Aleksandar Mitrovic (suspended for the Chelsea match), whose tireless work in attack creates so much space for the likes of Willian and Andreas Pereira in the final third.
Willian’s latest flourish came in Fulham’s most recent league match, against Leicester City. Receiving the ball in his own half, he drove through the Leicester midfield before curling a fabulous pass on to the chest of Mitrovic. The Serbia striker promptly scored the game’s winning goal.
Willian was similarly instrumental in victory at Nottingham Forest, when he played a part in all three of Fulham’s goals. And against Leeds, in October, it was the Brazilian who struck the winner.
“He is always there, giving his maximum,” Silva added. “Not just on the ball, but off the ball as well. Always with a big commitment. He has been fantastic from the first moment.”
Willian has said that, when he eventually retires, he wants to become an agent. He certainly has the relevant footballing experience for such a role, and one imagines he could be a useful mentor to any young players at the start of their careers. A long and successful life in football has no doubt taught him many lessons and he’s still learning now.