Confusion reigns as Chelsea and Willian disagree over whether a new contract has been offered

Willian

The winger is out of contract at Stamford Bridge next summer and his future remains unclear in confusing circumstances.

When asked whether he had been offered a new deal after Chelsea’s Champions League draw with Valencia this week, Willian said: “No, not yet. Honestly I’m happy here.

“I feel happy to play for this club but this situation is not in my hands. It’s in theirs.

“I wait for them. They know what I want, what I want to do. They already know so I wait for them.”

However, the Telegraph reports that the Blues are certain that a proposal has been made to the 31-year-old as recently as two weeks ago.

The Stamford Bridge hierarchy think that it's up to the player whether he decides to stay beyond the end of the season, but they will try to clarify the situation with Willian and his agent.

Chelsea are normally reluctant to offer multi-year contracts to players over the age of 30, but the Brazil international is said to want a two-year deal after David Luiz was handed those terms at the end of last season.

However, Luiz was sold to Arsenal not long after agreeing fresh terms.

Manager Frank Lampard is keen to keep the forward at the club, but he will be free to talk with other clubs in January as he enters the final six months of his deal.

Juventus and Barcelona are among the sides to have shown interest, but Willian has played down the prospect of entering discussions.

“No, I don't want to talk to them because I have a contract until the end of the season,” he said.

“I am a Chelsea player, but I just want to say the club know what I want to do.”

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Alasdair Mackenzie is a freelance journalist based in Rome, and a FourFourTwo contributor since 2015. When not pulling on the FFT shirt, he can be found at Reuters, The Times and the i. An Italophile since growing up on a diet of Football Italia on Channel 4, he now counts himself among thousands of fans sharing a passion for Ross County and Lazio.