According to reports from Le10Sport, Chelsea have rejected an Arsenal approach for defender David Luiz despite being prepared to part company with the South American this summer. It’s claimed that the Gunners are yet to return with another bid, but what would happen if the two London rivals came to a transfer agreement over the centre-back’s services?
With that in mind, Football FanCast take a look the potential consequences of Luiz making the switch from Stamford Bridge to the Emirates Stadium…
Antonio Conte stays at Chelsea
It’s certainly suspicious that Chelsea are still employing a manager they appeared so willing to part with for much of last season and the fact they’ve failed to appoint a replacement despite the transfer window already opening and the World Cup starting suggests there’s still a chance of Antonio Conte staying in the job.
David Luiz’s departure may well be a key indicator of that; the Brazilian has hardly been seen since his fallout with Conte during the first half of last term and it’s clear the Chelsea boss no longer wants to work with the experienced centre-half. Perhaps then, this is an early sign of Conte not only staying at Stamford Bridge but also being given a bit of extra authority in the transfer market.
Mustafi leaves Arsenal as Luiz forges new partnership
London Evening Standard report that Mustafi could be made available for a transfer once Sokratis arrives in north London and it certainly wouldn’t be a surprise considering the German international’s performances since joining the Gunners – heroic in small doses yet incompetent in large ones.
Adding Luiz to the equation would only seem to increase the probability of a Mustafi exit this summer, which in turn would leave the Brazil international to forge a new partnership with the aforementioned Sokratis, providing the platform Unai Emery’s newlook defence is built on. Luiz still has a bit of a reputation for glaring errors but he and Sokratis are both incredibly experienced defenders whose strengths and weaknesses compliment each other nicely.
Zouma comes back into the first team squad
Although the 31-year-old has barely featured in recent months his departure would open up a gap in Chelsea’s first-team squad and rather than filling it with a heavy spend in the transfer market, the Blues could source a cheaper option in Kurt Zouma.
The France international spent last term on loan at Stoke and was one of the Potters’ better performers as they failed to beat the drop, adding real physical menace to the heart of their defence. The 23-year-old still doesn’t seem to be quite back to his best after that incredibly serious injury during the 2016/17 season but will look a whole lot better in a team that isn’t fighting relegation and in terms of raw power and pace, he can still be a huge asset for the west Londoners.
So, would you back a Luiz move to the Emirates? Let us know by voting below…
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