Chelsea transfer news: Willian fighting for place as Antonio Conte plots summer shakeup of squad
Blues chief wants to make sure his team has the strength and depth to compete in Europe as well as at home
WILLIAN is fighting for his future at Chelsea as boss Antonio Conte plots a summer reshuffle.
The Brazilian midfielder is the club’s reigning player of the year and dragged Chelsea through last season’s turmoil with his free kick skills and goals.
But that won’t stop him from being shipped out if the right offer comes along as Conte plans to continue his ‘transformation’ of the squad to make it a force in the Premier League and in Europe.
Willian, 28, has been reduced to a bit-part role this season following the resurgence of Spanish wideman Pedro since Conte took over last summer.
He has started only 19 games so far this campaign but has still managed to equal last season’s impressive tally of 11 goals - many of them from dead ball situations.
Stamford Bridge sources say the player will consider his future once the season draws to a close when he could bow out a Double winner.
Conte has plenty of cash in the bank after offloading Willian’s fellow Brazilian Oscar for £50m in the January transfer window and he is looking for reinforcements.
One of those the Italian has checked out is West Ham’s powerhouse winger Michail Antonio.
He plays in the same position as Willian with the added asset of being English and therefore would boost Chelsea’s homegrown contingent.
Willian was voted both the fans’ and players’ player of the year last season for helping Chelsea through turbulent times under former boss Jose Mourinho.
The club was even threatened with relegation at one point.
But he was left out of the starting X1 to face Southampton last week having got Chelsea on the way to the FA Cup Final by scoring the opening goal against Tottenham in the semi final just three days earlier.
Chelsea are ready to let France defender Kurt Zouma go on loan next season.
Zouma has hardly figured since recovering from knee surgery in February.
He has hinted he would be up for a temporary move away to get him first team action in the run up to next summer’s World Cup Finals in Russia.