Anzhi Makhachkala midfielder Willian has admitted that a move to the Premier League in order to join Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool interests him after the Brazilian revealed that the Russian club are looking at selling all their foreign players this summer.
There have been reports suggesting that Liverpool are prepared to offer up to £30million for the ex-Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder, but they face serious competition from Premier League rivals Manchester United and and Tottenham.
During his days in Ukraine, Willian was actually a target for Manchester City and it is believed that Manuel Pelligrini may re-new the club’s interest in the Brazilian as he looks to strengthen his squad even further.
Anzhi’s owner is adamant on selling several of the club’s big-star names because of a current financial crisis and in an interview, Willian revealed that the club are trying to sell all of the foreign players so that they can bring in more Russian stars.
“Kerimov told us that Anzhi won’t make further investments…Russian players will join and foreign players would be free to go,” Willian is quoted as saying on ESPN Brazil.
“He made it clear that if good bids arrive, close to what he paid for the players, that he would certainly help us go.
“There was the Manchester City bid that was turned down. Now I’m waiting for a new bid to arrive in the next days from a few clubs, like Liverpool.
“If it’s really Liverpool, then it is surely a great club. I’m hopeful and very calm, just waiting for the best.
“England is my goal. I like the Premier League very much, I enjoy English football and certainly, if that happens, it will be very good for me and for my image.
“I know there have been some talks, but I don’t know the values, the agent didn’t tell me, he just said there were talks with some clubs, he didn’t name them, but I think they are English.”
Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt
