?Barcelona have made ?Chelsea winger Willian a primary target in this transfer window, but they have already had two bids rejected according to reports from Spain.
?Esport3 claims that Chelsea value the Brazilian at €80m and it appears that they are serious about this valuation, with Barcelona twice submitting bids below that price and twice being knocked back.
Barcelona’s interest in the player comes as a result of their failure to sign Antoine Griezmann, who teetered on the brink of joining the Blaugrana before committing his future to Atletico Madrid prior to France’s World Cup win.
Willian is a slightly cheaper option than Griezmann but also several years older, as he will turn 30 on the eve of the upcoming Premier League season. However, he fits the profile of the type of player that Ernesto Valverde is looking for.
Valverde was impressed with Willian when Chelsea played Barcelona in last season’s Champions League. He was a constant threat and scored Chelsea’s goal in a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge, before Barcelona blitzed the Blues 3-0 at the Nou Camp.
Willian has the same representatives as his Brazilian teammate, Barcelona’s Philippe Coutinho, and they will liaise between the two clubs to try and encourage forward progress on a transfer if that is what the player desires.
Despite Chelsea’s 5th place finish in the Premier League last season, Willian’s 13 goals in all competitions made it the most prolific campaign of his career to date.
In five seasons in England, Willian has scored 44 goals in 236 appearances.
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