Chelsea star signs new four-year contract to fight off interest from Manchester United

BRAZIL ace Willian has signed a new four-year deal at Chelsea.

By David Woods, Chief Football Writer       

STAYING: Willian will not be leaving Stamford Bridge

The attacking midfielder was attracting the attention of Jose Mourinho, his former boss at Stamford Bridge, who is now at Manchester United.

France giants PSG were also interested in the 27-year-old, who was the only player to shine in Mourinho’s disastrous season.

Willian was being valued at around £50m because he had just two years left on his contract. But his new deal, worth around £8m a year, will see his price tag soar and send a message to his suitors that he is going nowhere.

The Blues paid £30m for Willian when they signed him from Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala three years ago.

He has improved each season at the club, and in the last campaign he scored five goals in the Champions League for Chelsea.

He was as named by UEFA as one of the top XI players of the Champions League group stage and voted Chelsea's Fans' Player of the Year and Players' Player of the Year.

 

His new contract looks to have stemmed from new boss Antonio Conte - who will be unveiled as a media conference at 2pm on Thursday at Stamford Bridge - recognising what an important asset Willian is to the club.

While on duty with Brazil in the Copa America, Willian declined to dismiss linking up again with Mourinho, saying only: “That is something my agent deals with.”

Now Mourinho has seen his hopes dashed with the Chelsea No.22 committing himself to the west Londoners.