Willian announces plan for career change after walking away from Arsenal deal
Former Arsenal star Willian has ambitions of becoming an agent after being made aware of how easily players can “kill” their career.
The Brazilian winger is currently enjoying an eye-catching Premier League renaissance with Fulham. His impressive form comes off the back of a miserable spell with Arsenal - a period that ended with the remainder of his contract being cancelled and a return to Brazil.
Now at 35, Willian is already putting plans in place for the next stage of his career and wants to help youngsters in the early stages of their own footballing journeys. Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, he said: “You can kill your career, your life, if you don’t have good people who always say the truth.
“Young players need to be careful… In football it can come easy: money, everything you want, everyone wants to be your friend. I am always worrying about what goes on outside the pitch. Maybe you have 15 years to build your life, to invest well your money and then maybe in five minutes you can destroy it.”
Willian’s admission over his next chapter is another well thought out move from the former Shakhtar Donetsk winger. Ahead of his switch to Fulham, he had endured a rocky few years.
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After leaving Chelsea, he penned a mega money three-year deal contract with Arsenal. However, he lasted just a year in North London.
Willian made 37 appearances for the Gunners, scoring just once and providing seven assists. Explaining why he chose to pass-up the remainder of the wages owed to him, he said: “When I left Arsenal everyone knows it was not good. It was a difficult year for me.
“I decided to leave and, at that time, I still had two more years contract and I just said to them ‘listen, let’s break the contract. It has not worked the way we wanted.
Willian endured a tricky season with Arsenal before his contract was cancelled (Getty Images)Why did Willian fail at Arsenal? Share your thoughts in the comments below
“I will go somewhere else and I will continue to play football’. I turned the situation around and, now, three years later I am at this club [Fulham], enjoying myself. It’s an amazing club, to be honest.”
After making his decision to depart Arsenal, people were apparently calling him “crazy” for giving up the wages owed to him. However, the veteran wideman insists that he was never financially motivated.
He added: “But I don’t think about money. I know money is important, for sure. But it’s not the first thing in my life. For me, God first. Then my family, then football. Then the other things. But I wasn’t happy so that’s why I decided to leave.”
Willian is out of contract at the end of the current campaign but claims that retirement is not yet on his mind and suggests that he could potentially play until 40.
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