The Gunners have reportedly been offered the chance to bring in the Brazilian as a cut-price replacement for captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
But The Sun claim that while the player has been offered, the north London club are balking at his contract demands.
The 31-year-old is said to be demanding a three-year deal which matches his current £120,000-a-week salary in west London, but Arsenal are against signing off such a long-term deal for a player who will be 32 in August.
However, the former Shakhtar Donetsk winger's agent Kia Joorabchian has held an increasing degree of sway at the Emirates over the past year.
Joorabchian also represents technical director Edu and was heavily involved in the Gunners bringing in David Luiz last summer and Cedric Soares in January.
Willian has reportedly already rejected the offer of a two-year deal from Chelsea and is also interesting both Liverpool and Inter Milan.
But the Brazilian could become an appealing option for Gunners boss Mikel Arteta, who is reportedly increasingly resigned to losing Aubameyang in the summer.
The Gabon international is yet to agree a new deal at the Emirates despite having just over a year left on his contract.
The former Borussia Dortmund striker has allegedly rebuffed all of Arsenal's efforts to extend his stay in north London, and consequently the club are preparing to sell their top scorer for £30million this summer rather than lose him for nothing next year.
Arsenal have already agreed a 12.5 per cent pay cut with most of their players to help the club through the coronavirus crisis.
But Arteta's next major challenge remains overhauling his squad with a restricted transfer budget which is likely to become even tighter with the threat of a fourth successive season without Champions League football looming large.
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