Arsenal confirm Willian departure while Ainsley Maitland-Niles insist on move

Arsenal confirm Willian departure while Ainsley Maitland-Niles insist on move

Arsenal confirmed on Monday night that Willian had left the club for Corinthians hours after Ainsley Maitland-Niles reached out to social media to try to pull out of the north London club.

Brazil winger Willian, who joined the Chelsea Gunners 12 months ago, has two more years to close the deal.

But Arsenal announced on Monday that the 33-year-old’s contract had been amicably terminated.

The club added: “After positive and constructive discussions with him and his team, he will take another chance at Corinthians in Brazil, where he started his career.”

Willian played 37 games for the North London side last season.

Meanwhile, England midfielder Maitland-Niles has also expressed a desire to take matters into his own hands to insist he leaves before Tuesday’s transfer deadline.

“All I want to do is go where I want to be and where I’m going to play, Arsenal,” Maitland-Niles wrote on his Instagram Stories.

In that transfer window, the 24-year-old was loaned out to Everton but it goes without saying that the shooters rejected the Toffees approach.

Maitland-Niles has only made one substitution for the club in the new Premier League season, with Arsenal meaningless and goalless at the bottom of the table after three defeats.

Mikel Arteta rebuilt the team this summer, leaving Maitland-Niles on the sidelines of the Emirates Stadium, but Arsenal have so far refused to let the Englishman walk away with five caps.

Everton have started the new season well under Rafael Benitez with two wins and a draw and the Spaniard is keen to bring Maitland-Niles to Goodison Park.