Maurizio Sarri is lining up a move to reunite with one of Chelsea’s star performers in the current 2019/20 campaign.
What’s the word?
The Italian manager, who returned to Juventus after guiding Chelsea to Champions League qualification whilst also winning the Europa League, is reportedly keen on acquiring the services of Brazilian winger Willian and will make a move to bring the 31-year-old to Serie A, according to reports from Calcio Mercato.
Willian, 31, scored the winner for Chelsea as they battled to secure an important European victory over Lille in the Champions League, and the Brazilian’s man of the match display against Christophe Galtier’s side ensured successive goals to add to the forward’s strike in the 2-0 victory over Brighton in the Premier League.
Goalscoring potential
Despite starting none of the Blues’ first four league fixtures, Willian has started for Lampard’s side in their last three Premier League games – including victories over Wolves and Brighton – and despite the growing competition for places in Chelsea’s forward line, the 31-year-old is making a case to be a mainstay in Lampard’s first-choice XI.
It is this goalscoring form combined with his extensive professional experience that will inevitably be attractive to Sarri, as the former Chelsea boss bids to construct an attacking identity in his Juventus side that can reap rewards; both domestically and in European competition.
Whilst Juventus do sit second in Serie A, unbeaten after six games, they have scored just 11 goals so far in the 2019/20 campaign – the joint-lowest of the top-six sides in the division.
This comparative lack of attacking output is likely to be a driving factor in Sarri’s reported pursuit of Willian, and whilst Chelsea are unlikely to be willing to part ways with the forward, if Juventus are able to acquire the Brazilian’s services they will be getting a player who unquestionably has the ability to make a significant impact for Juve over the course of Sarri’s tenure in Italy.