Maurizio Sarri Says Willian Sale 'Impossible' Amid Barcelona Bid Rumours

Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri has said Barcelona will find it "impossible" to sign Willian in the January transfer window.

According to Jason Burt of the Daily Telegraph, the Premier League side have turned down a deal worth a potential £50 million for the 30-year-old; Barcelona forward Malcom, who has struggled for game time at the Camp Nou this season, was said to have been included as part of the possible package.

Having been linked with Barcelona during the summer, it would appear Willian is set to be the subject of further speculation in this window.

Sarri did his utmost to put any doubt about the player's future to rest on Friday, per Sky Sports:

"You have to contact the club and ask about the market, because if you ask me about the market, you put me in trouble because I don't know how to answer. As you know, Willian for us is very important.

"I think he can do better, he can do better because of his potential but he is really very important to us, so I think it is impossible to lose him in January."

Sarri added that he wasn't aware of any bid made for Willian.

Kristof Terreur of Het Laatste Nieuws suggested the players' agents may have been involved in planting this story:

Sport Witness added that there's little talk of a move for the player from the Catalan press:

Willian signed for Chelsea in 2013 and has been a dependable player for the Blues throughout his time at Stamford Bridge. Able to operate on either flank, the Selecao star is a vibrant and industrious presence, capable of putting opposition players on the back foot with his speed and quick feet.

He was named Chelsea's Players' Player of the Year for both the 2015-16 and 2017-18 seasons, and he has won the Premier League twice with the London club, as well the FA Cup and the League Cup.

Willian has proved to be a valuable asset in Chelsea attacks once again this season:

However, when it comes to goals and assists, the record of the Blues star isn't befitting of the talent he possesses:

Interest from Barcelona does seem peculiar. After all, manager Ernesto Valverde has a plethora of attacking options available to him in the form of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Ousmane Dembele, Philippe Coutinho and Malcom. It's not exactly clear where Willian would fit into the Blaugrana setup.

Given his age and his struggles in front of goal, Barcelona would be wise to invest their money elsewhere. If the bid is genuine, then there will certain sections of the Chelsea fanbase happy for the club to cash in.