Wellington Silva looks set to return to his former club, Fluminense, with a four-year deal agreed.
The Arsenal winger set tongues wagging earlier this week when he posted a not-so-cryptic message about returning home and now Renan Moura, a reporter with Radio Globo/CBN Rio, is reporting that a deal has been struck that will see Wellington’s time at Arsenal come to an end.
Danilinho e Wellington Silva encerraram os detalhes finais da negociação e são jogadores do Flu
— Renan Moura (@renanmouraglobo) July 15, 2016
“Danilinho and Wellington Silva closed the final details of the negotiations and are Flu players”
Danilinho assina contrato por um ano. Wellington Silva retorna com vínculo de quatro temporadas
— Renan Moura (@renanmouraglobo) July 15, 2016
“Danilinho signs contract for one year. Wellington Silva returns with four-year bond”
Silva signed for Arsenal in 2010 but never made a single appearance for the club.
Sent out on a series of loans, his attitude was reportedly a big problem during the first few years but that seems to be something he has worked hard to improve, much to his credit.
His performances during his last loan spell, however, left much to be desired in the eyes of then-Bolton boss, Neil Lennon.
At the time that loan was agreed, Arsene Wenger said of Silva, “He’s absolutely stunning to watch and I believe Bolton will be surprised by his quality.” They were not.
He had initially been granted a ‘special talent’ visa in 2010 but the loans in Spain became necessary when the Home Office reversed their decision (six months before Theresa May was made Home Secretary so we can’t blame her, but we can blame Alan Johnson if we want to be petty about it).
Silva’s Arsenal contract runs until 2018 so there will likely be a fee involved, although Arsenal have been known to waive such trivialities to shift players on who would otherwise be hard to move.
The Brazilian originally signed for Fluminense when he was just 11, staying with them for six years before Arsenal came calling after initially inviting him to a trial in 2008 which saw him score four goals for the Academy in a game against Norwich.
That was, sadly, probably his Arsenal career highlight.