LONDON, ENGLAND — Former Chelsea winger Willian has revealed that Shakhtar Donetsk blocked his move to Stamford Bridge twice in January 2012, despite Chelsea making improved offers for the Brazilian forward.
Willian, speaking on the Obi One Podcast hosted by former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel, recalled his disappointment at failing to secure a move to the London club before eventually joining them in 2013.
The Brazilian spent five years with Shakhtar and said he was determined to leave Ukraine in search of an opportunity at one of Europe’s major clubs.
Chelsea Tried To Sign Willian
According to Willian, Chelsea made their first approach for him in January 2012 while he was still playing for Shakhtar.
The winger said the Ukrainian club rejected the initial proposal and subsequently turned down an improved offer from Chelsea.
Willian suggested that the negotiations collapsed because of a relatively small difference between the clubs’ valuation of the player.
The failed transfer left him disappointed because he had already spent several years at Shakhtar and wanted to take the next step in his career.
“I should have went to Chelsea before, straight from Shakhtar in 2012 January,” Willian recalled during the podcast.
He explained that he had been at the Ukrainian club for five years and wanted to move to a major European side.
Willian Punished Chelsea At Stamford Bridge
Ironically, the failed transfer attempt was followed by one of the most memorable performances of Willian’s Shakhtar career against the very club he had hoped to join.
Shakhtar faced Chelsea in the Champions League at Stamford Bridge later that year, with Willian scoring twice during the encounter.
His performance against Chelsea made the transfer situation even more striking, as the Brazilian demonstrated his quality on the biggest European stage.
Willian recalled the circumstances while discussing whether he watched Chelsea’s historic Champions League triumph that season and wondered what might have happened had the transfer gone through.
He acknowledged that he watched the final knowing he could potentially have been part of Chelsea’s squad had Shakhtar accepted the earlier offer.
Chelsea Eventually Signed Him
Willian eventually got his move to Chelsea in 2013, more than a year after the failed January 2012 negotiations.
The Brazilian joined the Premier League club from Anzhi Makhachkala and went on to establish himself as an important member of Chelsea’s squad.
His Chelsea career included several major honours and memorable performances, particularly during his time under different managers at Stamford Bridge.
The winger became known for his technical ability, dribbling, work rate and dangerous set-piece deliveries.
His eventual move to Chelsea therefore provided a delayed conclusion to a transfer that had initially appeared impossible.
A Transfer That Nearly Happened
Willian’s revelation highlights how close he came to joining Chelsea before the club’s famous Champions League triumph in 2012.
The winger had already made clear that he wanted to leave Shakhtar and test himself at a bigger European club. However, the Ukrainian side’s refusal to agree Chelsea’s valuation prevented the move from happening.
Instead, Willian remained at Shakhtar, faced Chelsea in European competition and scored twice at Stamford Bridge before eventually joining the London club the following year.
His story offers a reminder of how small differences during transfer negotiations can alter the timing of a player’s career.
For Willian, the move to Chelsea eventually happened, but only after he had first experienced the disappointment of seeing the deal collapse and then faced his future club as an opponent on one of Europe’s biggest stages.
